Coral reefs in Southeast Asia under threat

CEBU, Philippines — At least 95 percent of the coral reefs in Southeast Asia including those in the Philippines are under threat due to illegal fishing, destructive fishing and climate change.

This was revealed by Chou Loke Ming, president of the Steering Committee of the Asia Pacific Coral Reef Society, in a press conference on the 4th Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium.

Porfirio Aliño, chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium-Local Organizing Committee, yesterday said that this is a sad reality.

"The coral reefs is not our own. We just borrowed it from our children. It is our responsibility to take care of these," said Aliño.

The corals reefs are suffering from DNA damage, says Dr. Robert Richmond, director of Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Richmond said that there is no such thing as coral management. What can be done is to manage activities that humans do with the corals.

The five-day event, which is participated in by marine scientists in Asia-Pacific, features presentations on the latest research techniques and emerging trends in marine biodiversity, coral reef ecology, geology and restoration, ocean processes and citizen science efforts.

With the theme Coral Reefs of the Asia-Pacific: "Working together Amidst Contemporary Challenges," it hopes to forge greater cooperation and concrete programs for collaboration to preserve and sustainably manage the common natural marine heritage.

"Considering that we are the center of marine biodiversity and one of the leading scientific bastions in the coral triangle, our hosting will highlight the importance of science and technology in conservation and good governance," said Aliño in separate press statement.

Put Ang Jr., chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium-International Organizing Committee, said that plastic wastes continue to pollute the water including the coral reefs.

Ang said that the problem with plastic is that there is no alternative because plastic has been widely used anywhere.

But the use of plastic usage can be minimized by not using straw for softdrinks, among others. (FREEMAN)