18/02/2005– Two new surveys
of Thailand’s coral reefs show the impact
of the Asian tsunami was highly varied, but
with most damage identified within the country’s
national marine parks.
Some of the world’s most diverse coral reef
ecosystems are found in Thailand within a
12,000 square kilometre block, including a
200km stretch of the Andaman coast from Ranong
to northern Phuket and extending 60km out
to sea to include the Similan Islands, the
Surin Islands, and Phra Thong Island. Some
600 species of coral reef fish, as well as
four species of endangered marine turtles
and many other marine species, are found within
this area.
“As tourism in the Andaman Sea relies on
healthy marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs,
an important first step is to assess the actual
damage to the reefs caused by the Tsunami
and decide what action needs to be taken as
a response,” said Robert Mather, Director
of WWF Thailand’s Programme Office.
An initial coral reef assessment conducted
by local dive operators near Phuket, and within
the Surin and Similar archipelago, showed
that out 70 sites, 13 were found to have suffered
heavy damage. Another survey of 174 sites
coordinated by Thailand’s Department of Marine
and Coastal Resources (DMCR) showed that 13
per cent were highly impacted.
“The 13 per cent of coral reefs which suffered
high impact — over 50 per cent damage — were
concentrated in some of the country’s well
known dive sites, including in the Surin and
Phi Phi Islands,” Mather said. “Damage to
the Thailand’s coral reefs showed no obvious
pattern, but as one might expect, exposed
shallow fringing reefs and coral with delicate
structures suffered most.”
Fish and other marine life appear to have
not been as affected as the coral reefs, although
many bottom-dwelling marine organisms have
disappeared. According to another DMCR survey,
approximately 70 per cent of a total of 80
square kilometres of seagrass beds along the
Andaman coast revealed generally less than
five per cent damage.
Experts believe that overall damage caused
by the Tsunami was actually quite small. In
fact, many of the coral reefs in Thailand’s
Andaman Sea were already significantly damaged
before the December 26th tragedy struck Southeast
Asia, which by some estimates killed up to
300,000 people. In Thailand, over 5,000 people
died, many of them foreign tourists vacationing
on the popular beaches of Phuket, Khao Lak,
and Phi Phi Island. Among the fatalities were
three Marine National Park rangers, as well
as two local people working on the Naucrates
Turtle Conservation project on Phra Thong
Island. All twelve of Thailand’s Marine National
Parks on the Andaman coast were closed.
“Pollution, global warming, habitat destruction,
and overfishing — these insidious dangers
are the real issues that need to be addressed
so as to maintain the health of the reef ecosystems
that so many local livelihoods in both the
tourism and fisheries sectors depend on,”
Mather said.
“It is important to consider not only the
need to rehabilitate the damage caused by
the Tsunami, but more importantly, to consider
the overall needs for improving coral reef
management in Thailand.”
WWF is calling on Thailand’s Department of
Marine and Coastal Resources to follow through
with plans to conduct more detailed assessments
of severely impacted reefs, and to conduct
long-term monitoring of recovery. The global
conservation organization is also urging dive
operators and individual divers adhere to
codes of conduct for ‘best practice’ standards,
prevent illegal trade in souvenirs and other
marine species products, report any illegal
activities in marine parks, and support the
call for appropriate legal and policy reform
(including the establishment of Marine Park
Management Boards) to improve coral reef protection
and management.
“Only when these measures are put into place
will all the corals damaged by the Tsunami
have an opportunity to recover,” Mather added.
Notes:
Tsunami impacts on well-known dive sites
Surin Islands: Some of the shallow hard coral
fringe reefs show damage around Ao Chong Kad.
Sites in the deep straits between Ao Pak Kaad
and Torinla Island suffered the most extensive
damage, with Ao Pak Kaad and the shallow corals
of Torinla Island suffering medium levels
of impact. In the Surin Marine Protected,
the biggest coral reef colony at Laem Mae
Yai was partly damaged but still in relatively
good condition. Reef fish monitoring shows
continued high diversity and abundance. There
is also a high diversity of reef crabs and
shrimps.
Similan Islands: Damage appears to be limited
to the shallow part of some fringe reefs.
A few of the rock formations had soft coral
removed by the tsunami current. Highly popular
dive sites such as Fantasea Reef, Sunset Point
at Similan Island 4, Deep Six, West of Eden
and Pusa Rock at Similan Island 7, North Point
and Breakfast Bent at Similan Island 9 are
in fine shape. However, the China Wall site
on the south-east of Similan 4 and Snapper
Alley on Similan 9 suffered the worst damage.
Ko Tachai: Some damage was reported in the
shallows. Twin Peaks is undamaged.
Ko Bon: Minimal damage to The Ridge.
Shark Point and Hin Daeng: Unaffected.
Richelieu Rock: No damage, but the strong
current moved some of the rubble at the base
of the rock.
The Burma Banks: No damage.
