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| Sunday, 22 May 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Corals in peril by Marten Meynell, IUCN - The World Conservation Union
The benefits of healthy and biologically diverse coral reefs are wide-ranging and incredibly valuable. However, they face many threats, both as a result of human activity and natural events. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) report 'Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2004' estimates that up to 20 per cent of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed and many of the surviving ones are currently placed under intense and growing pressures.
The situation in South Asia is far worse than the global average; 45 per cent of the coral reefs have been destroyed, and a further 10 per cent are in a critical stage and likely to join the destroyed category within the next 10 to 20 years. Sri Lanka's coral reefs are very diverse; 183 species of coral and over 300 species of reef fish, as well as many marine invertebrates, are present in the inshore waters surrounding the island. The main reef areas are found on the west and southwest coasts and in the northeast around Trincomalee. Over 20 coral reef areas have been identified as in need of protection. Four sites have so far been granted Marine Protected Area (MPA) status. These are Hikkaduwa National Park, Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Rumassala/Buona Vista Marine Sanctuary and Pigeon Islands National Park (Trincomalee). These have all been given legal protection due to the availability of coral reefs and reef-related fauna in the surrounding waters. In addition to these MPAs, the Great and Little Basses off the southeast coast have been declared as Fishery Management Areas.
The human threats to the reefs are many and varied, the main ones being over-fishing and destructive fishing practices, unplanned coastal development and related pollution, tourism, the aquarium trade and coral mining. Natural pressures are terrestrial flooding and the consequent surface run-off of sediments, tropical storm damage, plagues of coral predators such as the 'crown of thorns' starfish (Acanthaster planci), and coral diseases that are often caused by human pollution and discharge of ballast water from ships. Two other natural events that have occurred recently are the 1998 coral bleaching and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Many of Sri Lanka's reefs were badly affected by the bleaching,(along the west and southwest coasts ) attributed to the El Nino weather pattern. Bar Reef experienced almost total mortality of many coral species and Hikkaduwa lost about 40 per cent of its live coral cover. Coral recovery has been slow in many areas partly due to sedimentation and overgrowth of algae preventing growth, but also because of the many damaging human activities that occur.
The east coast was not so badly affected by the bleaching event, but blast fishing is rampant and increasing in occurrence in the Trincomalee region. The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004 also caused widespread damage to the coral reefs of the region, affecting them in various ways. Since it is impossible to prevent a disaster such as the recent tsunami occurring again, it is vital that measures to minimise the impact are implemented. This includes conserving the coral reefs around the world, not only for the increased protection they offer but also to preserve the incredible biodiversity and valuable resources that reef ecosystems contain. Whilst global attention at present is focused on post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, there is much talk of the need to restore natural ecosystems such as coral reefs that would reduce the devastating effects if another tsunami were to occur. This is all very well in theory, but if the factors that were damaging these ecosystems prior to the tsunami are not removed first then restoring the ecosystems is futile. To achieve this requires major changes in the way these ecosystems are used by humans. First and foremost, national and international laws and regulations that are already in place must be upheld; for instance, despite blast fishing and coral mining being highly illegal activities in the majority of the countries across the world, these practices are still rife, and in many places actually increaing. some priority actions are as follows: An increased awareness of the value of reef ecosystems is needed and the consequent participation by all stakeholders is essential to ensure that sustainable and effective methods to manage the resources of the reefs are developed. Not only is all-round participation crucial, but everyone's commitment to support and implement the necessary changes must be absolute. Action is required urgently to prevent further damage to the coral reefs,
and to preserve the incredible biodiversity found amongst them, as well as
the services they provide. |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity. This year's
theme is 'Biodiversity: Life Insurance for a Changing World', and as coral
reefs are considered to be one of the world's most diverse ecosystems it is
of crucial importance that coral reefs around the world are protected and
conserved. 
