Posted on 29 July 2010
Mass coral bleaching
caused by global warming is threatening
the health of the Coral Triangle, a vast
marine region that is home to 76% of all
known corals in the world.
The Malaysian government
recently closed portions of world-renowned
dive sties on the tropical islands of Tioman
and Redang, saying they would be off limits
until October to give the fragile coral
reef ecosystems time to heal.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines,
bleaching has been reported in Anilao and
Nasugbu, as well as off the cost of the
western municipality of Taytay, Palawan.
The latter saw corals, which usually exhibit
a green and brown hue, temporarily turn
unusual shades of pink, orange and yellow—a
precursor to complete bleaching.
Numerous other Philippine
reefs are likely to have been affected as
well, exacerbated by localized outbreaks
of Crown-of-Thorns Seastars.
Widespread bleaching
has also been recorded in Indonesia, with
areas near Sabang, Aceh, Padang, Thousand
Island Jakarta, Bali, and other locations
showing telltale signs.
“This widespread bleaching
is alarming because it directly affects
the health of our oceans and their ability
to nurture fish stocks and other marine
resources on which millions of people depend
for food and income” says Richard Leck,
Climate Change Strategy Leader of the WWF
Coral Triangle Programme.
Coral bleaching is a
phenomenon caused by global warming. Increased
seawater temperatures, which in some regions
have grown as much as 2°C above the
long-term average maximum, can push the
algae living inside corals beyond the brink,
causing reefs to eventually turn white and
die.
Aside from increased
sea temperatures, other causes of stress
include disease, pollution, sedimentation,
cyanide fishing, changes in salinity, and
storms.
The Coral Triangle region
covers the seas of Indonesia, Malaysia,
Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon
Islands and Timor Leste. This nursery of
the seas contains more than 600 species
of reef-building coral.
Since March this year,
about 50 different organizations and individuals
have reported signs of coral bleaching in
the Coral Triangle region. Up to 100% bleaching
on susceptible coral species have been reported,
and in some areas, severe bleaching has
also affected the more resistant species.
The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA)
Coral Reef Watch stated that the current
incident is the worst of it kind since 1997-1998,
which decimated 16% of the world’s coral
reefs.
With many areas showing
signs of mass bleaching, it has become apparent
that more weight needs to be put behind
long-term conservation strategies, such
as marine protected area management, preventing
coastal and marine pollution, as well as
promoting sustainable fisheries.
“Well-designed and appropriately-managed
networks of marine protected areas and locally
managed marine areas are essential to enhance
resilience against climate change, and prevent
further loss of biodiversity, including
fisheries collapse” Leck also added.
Through new sustainable
finance mechanisms and investments in climate
adaptation, WWF plans to support networks
of marine sanctuaries and locally managed
conservation areas across the Coral Triangle.
Improving fisheries
management also an important step
Better fisheries management
is also key to alleviating the impacts of
coral bleaching, ensuring that only viable
sites are given access to fishing and that
the more sensitive ones are given time to
recuperate via strong regulations, enforcement
and awareness.
In Malaysia, for instance,
WWF is promoting the conservation of herbivorous
reef fish, which plays a critical role of
keeping algae populations lower, allowing
room for coral recruits to settle on the
potentially newly-dead coral skeletons..
Only a year ago, WWF
launched The Coral Triangle and Climate
Change: Ecosystems, People and Societies
at Risk, a report based on a thorough consideration
of the climate biology, economics and social
characteristics of the region, showing how
unchecked climate change will ultimately
undermine and destroy ecosystems and livelihoods
in the Coral Triangle.
