Now more than 80 percent of the country's 19,700-square-mile reef system, the world's largest, is at risk.

The area around modern Milwaukee was a massive reef system.

During the Silurian period the state was home to significant reef systems.

Most parts of the reef system still teemed with healthy fish and coral.

Some of these exist only on this reef system.

Between 300-500 species of bryozoans live on the reef system.

Damage to the reef system was estimated at more than $5 million.

There are more than 1500 fish species in the reef systems.

Even remote reef systems suffer the effects of marine debris.

They have been retained to do an independent 18-month study to document the effects of the new reef system.