By using 50 datasets on benthic coral reefs monitoring, we estimated the temporal trends in the benthic cover of seven benthic categories. We also calculated how certain threats to coral reefs of the Pacific have changed over the last decades. Our results show a complex situation. The overall stability in hard coral cover can be seen as a signal of hope in a context of global decline of hard coral cover. We have put forward various hypotheses, which are not mutually exclusive, to explain this result. Importantly, the benthic cover of coralline algae increased from 1990 to 2022, which may have benefited the recruitment of hard corals. However, our results show an increase in macroalgae cover, which can be the result of depletion in herbivore fish population due to fishing or an increase in nutrient runoff. As macroalgae compete with hard corals for space, this increase may have negatively impacted coral reef accretion. In addition, we show that the composition of the hard coral assemblage has changed over the period. The hard coral families with the most complex skeletons have declined, partly in favour of families with massive skeletons that provide less shelter for reef organisms such as fish. Finally, we have shown that the average sea surface temperature of coral reefs in 2022 was warmer by 0.82°C than in 1990 due to the effects of climate change. Because of the large geographical extent of the Pacific region, these regional results may differ from trends at the individual country or territory scale. It is also important to note that our findings capture only a portion of the long-term trajectories of Pacific coral reefs in the Anthropocene, and significant ecological shifts may have taken place prior to the period covered by our analysis. Furthermore, we relied on a limited set of indicators to assess changes in coral reef conditions, which may not encompass the full complexity of ecosystem dynamics. For these reasons, the continued development and strengthening of comprehensive monitoring programs is essential to improve our understanding of coral reef changes, support early detection of emerging threats, and inform effective conservation and management strategies. Citation Wicquart J., Towle E. K., Dallison T., Staub F., and Planes S. (eds.), 2025. Status and Trends of Coral Reefs of the Pacific: 1980-2023. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). http://doi.org/10.59387/WIUJ2936.
