"Indeed, sir, we do move them. Part of our routine, y'see.  ‘Relocate the sea urchins'.  However, they have this annoying tendency to move right back in again."

"Whaddya mean, ‘move'?"

"Move.  As in shift.  Relocate.  Redeploy."

His mouth fell open.  "What?  You mean they're ALIVE?!"

Well, I'm not too sure about the state of health of those you're wearing parts of in your foot, but in general... "Yes, sir, sea urchins are living beings." 

Brief explanation follows about the paths being the safest routes we can devise, in view of the reef structure and the fact that many organisms are mobile and tend to not to recognise or respect manmade territories.

While not everyone realises that sea urchins are actually animals, many visitors find the idea of corals being living organisms even more surprising.  The idea that a chunk of rocklike substance is actually alive, something that eats, excretes, reproduces, and tries to keep its species viable just like humans do, seems incredible to some.  In fact, a chunk of coral broken off by a careless foot or an intentional hand can take tens, if not hundreds, of years to grow back. 

To help preserve the corals and other marine organisms, the Coral Beach Reserve rangers designate paths by which to enter the sea in hopes to minimise damage to the marine life, as well as injuries to the bathers or divers entering the water.  In mid-July 2008 they finished roping off areas on the South Beach. The permitted routes of entry are marked by a parallel line of buoys and with signs.  

As per the news release: “24 pathways for entering the water were marked along the South Beach by the Nature and Parks Authority, so as to preserve the reef life, including the particularly vulnerable corals in the shallow water, as well as helping prevent injury to visitors.  A change for the better has already been observed by the regional ecologist in the parts of the reef previously closed off.”