The photo is an aerial view of the coral cay along the rim of Mururoa Atoll, with the lagoon in front and the ocean behind. The underground nuclear testing program conducted by the French Armed Forces at Mururoa Atoll caused multiple instantaneous removals of fish over areas of approximately 12.5 sq km without otherwise affecting the opportunity for recolonization. Fish responded rapidly to these intense, large-scale perturbations, restoring community structure within 1-5 years. Reef fishery conservation efforts should emphasize protection of habitat, because reef assemblages are resilient so long as the structural and biotic integrity of their habitat is maintained and neighboring sites are able to supply recruits. This photograph originally appeared on the cover of Ecology (86:10) in October of 2005.