The boat with a crew of at least 12 was fishing for coral near Miyako island in the Okinawa chain.

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The 100-tonne boat with 13 crew members had been fishing for coral near Miyako island in the Okinawa chain.

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Surrounded by its own coral reef, the island measures 1.5 acres and contains a Bahamian-style 4-bedroom, 3-bath home.

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CANBERRA, Australia -- Global Green groups have begun a campaign to have the coral reefs of the Pacific island of New Caledonia nominated for World Heritage listing.

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For those who prefer to stay closer to the surface, Calanggaman Island offers an exquisite coral wall visible to both divers and snorkelers.

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The island is famed for its underwater meadows of grass coral.

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Like coral reefs, she argues, the earth itself is a delicate island ecosystem in peril.

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Together with the island's other ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, coral reefs and sandy shores, the mangroves serve as a habitat for a variety of birds, fish and plants.

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The island -- a small, flat area of limestone, coral and scrub vegetation -- has a population of only 14, 000.

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