CORAL reefs in the Philippines, which lies in the Coral Triangle region, are in a danger zone and are threatened, according to marine biologists and conservationists, by 2030 if current trends are not interrupted.
The Coral Triangle, a marine region in the western Pacific Ocean, encompasses the waters of six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
Coral ecologists consider the Triangle the global center of marine biodiversity they call the “Amazon of the Seas.”
Identified as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, the 5.7 square-kilometer ocean waters support the highest number of species of corals, coral reef fishes, and six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles.
It is critical for the health of the world’s oceans, serving as a vital spawning and growth area for species like tuna and supporting the livelihoods of over 126 million people.
Ecologists have warned that Philippine coral reefs are in a danger zone, with most considered threatened or in poor to fair condition due to threats like over-fishing, destructive fishing practices, pollution, and climate change.
Studies made available to the public but at times played down if not ignored, with other issues grabbing the immediate attention of many, have indicated about 90 percent of Philippine reefs are in poor to fair condition.
One report suggests nearly all reefs in the Triangle will be threatened five years from now unless current trends were not checked.
While there is no single, exact number for how many coral reefs are in the Triangle, scientists believe it contains an estimated 30 percent of the world’s total coral reefs, about 78,272 square kms.
It is home to the highest coral diversity in the world, with 76 percent of the world’s known coral species (over 600 species) and an astonishing variety of fish and marine life.
But it is encouraging to note the Philippine government has embraced goals from the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, or CTI-CFF, to work toward sustainable development.
This is a multilateral partnership of six countries in the Triangle working to protect the region’s extraordinary marine and coastal resources.
But the general public must feel and see how the initiative, which aims to address threats from climate change and human activities to conserve the region’s enormous biodiversity, secure food resources, and support local livelihoods, is translated into what they can quickly perceive.
We know the government has geared up efforts, which include strengthening management, expanding marine protected areas, and enforcing laws, while conservationists are working with local communities on restoration projects, using methods like building metal nurseries to grow new coral colonies.
We need to see stronger collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector in arresting the threat to the coral reefs.
