With record-high sea temperatures bleaching coral reefs worldwide, reef guards and environmentalists have suggested immediate restoration.
This issue affects the Philippines since this archipelago of 115 million people is within the Coral Triangle, a marine area in the western Pacific Ocean which includes the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands.
The Philippines has the Apo Reef, off the coast of Occidental Mindoro within the Coral Triangle, the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world, second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The Apo Reef Natural Park consists of three islands which are surrounded by lush mangrove forests.
Coastal ecosystems like mangroves, sea grass and coral reefs are critical to the healthy functioning of the planet, according to environmentalists.
Mangroves and seagrass can capture more carbon than forests on land. Healthy coral reefs can absorb wave energy and are home to nearly a quarter of the oceans’ biodiversity.
Coral reefs, some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, support more species per unit area than any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species.
The dismal condition of our reefs – boldly described as in a rapid decline – is further exacerbated by destruction of marine habitats including dump-and-fill projects, destructive fishing practices, pollution, climate change and other anthropogenic pressures.
In the Philippines, coral reef fisheries provide livelihood for more than a million small-scale fishers who contribute almost $1 billion annually to the country’s economy. Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection.
The rapidly growing population needs increasing amounts of fish and other marine organisms.
Coral reefs, which protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation, provide sources of food and new medicines.
As a response to the coral degradation in the country, the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development funded the “Filipinnovation” on Coral Reef Restoration Program that started in 2012.
We have also passed several laws to protect marine life, including the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act and amended Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.
But environmentalists strongly urge there is need for more action.
We must avoid touching reefs or anchoring our boats on them since contact with the reef will damage the delicate coral animals, and anchoring on the reef can kill corals, reason we must look for sandy bottoms or use moorings.
Our efforts must include building coral resilience as well to threats like climate change.