MARINE ECOLOGY
18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... oral-reefs
* Published: 21/01/2011 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News
Eighteen popular diving sites will be closed for up to 14 months to allow coral damaged by bleaching to recover.
Over 80% of the coral at each diving site had been damaged, National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief Sunan Arunnoparat said yesterday.
Bleaching, or a whitening of coral as it loses its natural pigment, is caused by a rise in sea temperatures which has been linked to global warming. The dive sites which have been closed are in seven marine national parks.
They are the Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang, Mu Koh Petra and Tarutao national parks in Satun, Mu Koh Chumphon National Park in Chumphon, Hat Nopparat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi, and Mu Koh Surin and Mu Koh Similan national parks in Phangnga.
The coral bleaching, which has been growing more serious since April, is said to be the worst in 20 years.
Up to 90% of coral in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea has been bleached.
The department chief said he could not say how long the dive sites would be closed but diving activities probably would be banned until the end of the monsoon season in October.
Marine national parks would be closed for six months during the monsoon season.
Mr Sunan said curbs would be imposed on tourist visits to some sites, and public awareness of marine life conservation would be promoted in other measures to deter bleaching.
A task force will monitor the situation and issue measures to speed up coral rehabilitation, he said.
Praput Khorpetch, vice-president of the Phangnga Tourism Association, said the association was willing to cooperate with government efforts to protect marine life.
"We don't want to see just a closure of national parks to rehabilitate coral.
In fact, we want to see the government and private tourism operators work together to find a long-term solution," Mr Praput said.
"The Marine and Coastal Resources Department should not blame just the tourism sector for this problem. We received the message and have made an effort to limit the number of tourists but we don't have the power to do that. The government should impose a strict law on this issue."
Suchart Sirankanokkul, president of the Thai Hotels Association Southern Charter, suggested the government set up a meeting with tourism operators in the affected areas to discuss solutions to the problem.
18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
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Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
....a larger pic.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
The Nations article........http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01 ... 46862.html
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
Dive closures don't go far enough: conservationist
By The Nation
Published on January 22, 2011
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01 ... 46941.html
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department on Thursday announced the measure, which is intended to allow coral reefs bleached by high sea temperatures time to recover.
But in an article titled "Coral Bleaching: Stop Damage and Recover the Rest", FSF founder and Prime Minister's Office secretary Vittayen Muttamara wrote that scientific studies had identified more sites in the Andaman that had been severely damaged by bleaching.
The data, which were used by the department in its decision to close the parks, were collected from the middle of last year.
Vittayen said the studies showed coral reefs in Surin National Marine Park and on the east coast of Similan Island were severely damaged, but the department had closed only two sites in those parks.
"The department should urgently survey all coralreef sites and update their database to decide which sites they should close," Vittayen wrote in the article.
To reduce the impact on the tourism industry, the department has closed only sites that have been severely damaged.
Vittayen said this was nonsense, reasoning that tourists would no longer visit coral reefs that had been even partially damaged by bleaching. Instead, they would visit other sites such as Turutao Island and Adang Rawi Island where the reefs are still in good condition.
Vittayen suggested the department also draft measures to protect sites where coral reefs were still in good condition. "If there are no strong measures to prevent damage, the coral reefs will absolutely, 100 per cent be destroyed."
The department should close all diving sites where coral reefs are damaged and issue measures to control tourists, he said.
For example, the department should not allow snorkelling at coralreef sites, he said. It should control the standard of tourist boats entering national marine parks, announce fees to charge tourists for diving and declare the income it collects from the fees, he said.
Akaraphon Changkon, owner of a diving company in Phang Nga province's Khura Buri district, said his business had been damaged by the closures. All of his customers have cancelled planned visits to coralreef sites, he said.
"We are all in shock about the measures," he said, claiming they were decided without consultation. "Closing diving sites at this time has had the worst impact on us."
Divingbusiness owners are discussing what they will do to tackle the situation.
Meanwhile, Prateeph Jongthong, vice president of Trang Tourism Business Association, said closing diving sites at Chuak Island would not affect tourism in the province because most tourists did not visit reefs.
In a related development, the directorgeneral of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Sunant Arunnopparat, said the department's announcement naming which diving sites would close contained mistakes.
In the Surin Islands in Phang Nga, the department mistakenly announced the closure of Suthep Bay, Mai Ngam Bay, Koh Stork, Hin Kong, Pakkard Bay and the coralreef site in front of Surin National Marine Park. Those sites will remain open, but Mae Yai Bay, Mang Korn Bay, Chak Bay, Tao Bay and Tor Rin La Bay will close.
In Satun province, the department will close only Bu Lone Mai Phai Island at Petra National Marine Park.
By The Nation
Published on January 22, 2011
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01 ... 46941.html
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department on Thursday announced the measure, which is intended to allow coral reefs bleached by high sea temperatures time to recover.
But in an article titled "Coral Bleaching: Stop Damage and Recover the Rest", FSF founder and Prime Minister's Office secretary Vittayen Muttamara wrote that scientific studies had identified more sites in the Andaman that had been severely damaged by bleaching.
The data, which were used by the department in its decision to close the parks, were collected from the middle of last year.
Vittayen said the studies showed coral reefs in Surin National Marine Park and on the east coast of Similan Island were severely damaged, but the department had closed only two sites in those parks.
"The department should urgently survey all coralreef sites and update their database to decide which sites they should close," Vittayen wrote in the article.
To reduce the impact on the tourism industry, the department has closed only sites that have been severely damaged.
Vittayen said this was nonsense, reasoning that tourists would no longer visit coral reefs that had been even partially damaged by bleaching. Instead, they would visit other sites such as Turutao Island and Adang Rawi Island where the reefs are still in good condition.
Vittayen suggested the department also draft measures to protect sites where coral reefs were still in good condition. "If there are no strong measures to prevent damage, the coral reefs will absolutely, 100 per cent be destroyed."
The department should close all diving sites where coral reefs are damaged and issue measures to control tourists, he said.
For example, the department should not allow snorkelling at coralreef sites, he said. It should control the standard of tourist boats entering national marine parks, announce fees to charge tourists for diving and declare the income it collects from the fees, he said.
Akaraphon Changkon, owner of a diving company in Phang Nga province's Khura Buri district, said his business had been damaged by the closures. All of his customers have cancelled planned visits to coralreef sites, he said.
"We are all in shock about the measures," he said, claiming they were decided without consultation. "Closing diving sites at this time has had the worst impact on us."
Divingbusiness owners are discussing what they will do to tackle the situation.
Meanwhile, Prateeph Jongthong, vice president of Trang Tourism Business Association, said closing diving sites at Chuak Island would not affect tourism in the province because most tourists did not visit reefs.
In a related development, the directorgeneral of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Sunant Arunnopparat, said the department's announcement naming which diving sites would close contained mistakes.
In the Surin Islands in Phang Nga, the department mistakenly announced the closure of Suthep Bay, Mai Ngam Bay, Koh Stork, Hin Kong, Pakkard Bay and the coralreef site in front of Surin National Marine Park. Those sites will remain open, but Mae Yai Bay, Mang Korn Bay, Chak Bay, Tao Bay and Tor Rin La Bay will close.
In Satun province, the department will close only Bu Lone Mai Phai Island at Petra National Marine Park.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
Some letters about this here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... diving-ban
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
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Korkenzieher
- Guru
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:45 am
- Location: Hua Hin.
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
'Scuse me for stating the obvious, but if coral bleaching is (allegedly) due to warming, how is stopping diving on the reefs going to help.
As a diver, I can assure you that in Thai marine parks the biggest destroyer of coral is dynamite fishing. Always was, still is. Diving is what, in the final analysis, pays the conservation bill.
it is an:
IDIOTIC POLICY RESPONSE TO THE WRONG PROBLEM
Sorry for shouting, and all that.
Kz
As a diver, I can assure you that in Thai marine parks the biggest destroyer of coral is dynamite fishing. Always was, still is. Diving is what, in the final analysis, pays the conservation bill.
it is an:
IDIOTIC POLICY RESPONSE TO THE WRONG PROBLEM
Sorry for shouting, and all that.
Kz
Had enough of the trolls. Going to sleep. I may be some time....
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
That's exactly what some are saying in the Post Bag letters linked above. PeteKorkenzieher wrote:'Scuse me for stating the obvious, but if coral bleaching is (allegedly) due to warming, how is stopping diving on the reefs going to help.
As a diver, I can assure you that in Thai marine parks the biggest destroyer of coral is dynamite fishing. Always was, still is. Diving is what, in the final analysis, pays the conservation bill.
it is an: IDIOTIC POLICY RESPONSE TO THE WRONG PROBLEM Sorry for shouting, and all that. Kz
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
-
Korkenzieher
- Guru
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:45 am
- Location: Hua Hin.
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
Uh 
. Maybe should have followed the links first.... 
. Maybe should have followed the links first.... Had enough of the trolls. Going to sleep. I may be some time....
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
Not a criticism, but a note that many are thinking alike.Korkenzieher wrote:Uh
Pete Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
This is a typical Thai government reaction by blaming foreigners for a problem caused in their own back yard.
The biggest threats to reef ecosystems in Thailand can be categorised below:
1) Fishing nets
2) Fishing boats discarding plastic, styrofoam and batteries onto the reef
3) Illegal fishing in protected areas (marine parks that foreigners are charged 200 baht to enter)
4) Poaching for the aquarium trade
5) Dynamite and cyanide fishing (more so in Burmese waters)
6) More fishing nets and hooks
7) Fishing for endangered and protected species (whalesharks, mantas)
8 ) Pollution and runoff (more so on the Gulf side)
...
16) Day trip tour boats anchoring on the coral
...
56) Scuba divers
...
287) Global warming (coral bleaching is a natural process, albeit often accelerated in places, but we wont go into that ...)
This crap really gets my goat, when will those monkeys in the government realise that they can only protect their natural aquatic environment when they STOP THEIR OWN PEOPLE FISHING ON CORAL REEFS! The Great Barrier Reef is still recovering and the Aussie government made that decision many years ago.
Here is another prime example of marine animals falling victim to unregulated fishing practices: http://bangsaphanguide.com/forum/viewto ... ?f=1&t=388
Divers are mostly educated during their training to respect the reef, many a dive I have spent simply cutting fishing nets off coral (and sometimes animals) and cleaning up the shit that is thrown overboard by those with no respect for the ocean.
The biggest threats to reef ecosystems in Thailand can be categorised below:
1) Fishing nets
2) Fishing boats discarding plastic, styrofoam and batteries onto the reef
3) Illegal fishing in protected areas (marine parks that foreigners are charged 200 baht to enter)
4) Poaching for the aquarium trade
5) Dynamite and cyanide fishing (more so in Burmese waters)
6) More fishing nets and hooks
7) Fishing for endangered and protected species (whalesharks, mantas)
8 ) Pollution and runoff (more so on the Gulf side)
...
16) Day trip tour boats anchoring on the coral
...
56) Scuba divers
...
287) Global warming (coral bleaching is a natural process, albeit often accelerated in places, but we wont go into that ...)
This crap really gets my goat, when will those monkeys in the government realise that they can only protect their natural aquatic environment when they STOP THEIR OWN PEOPLE FISHING ON CORAL REEFS! The Great Barrier Reef is still recovering and the Aussie government made that decision many years ago.
Here is another prime example of marine animals falling victim to unregulated fishing practices: http://bangsaphanguide.com/forum/viewto ... ?f=1&t=388
Divers are mostly educated during their training to respect the reef, many a dive I have spent simply cutting fishing nets off coral (and sometimes animals) and cleaning up the shit that is thrown overboard by those with no respect for the ocean.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: 18 dive sites closed to save coral reefs
It seems to be not just a Thai problem:
New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) Rising sea surface temperatures due to global warming caused extensive coral bleaching in some of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in 2010, which, according to a scientist, is the severest in over a decade.
Scientists from Marine Research Laboratory, Central Agriculture Research Institute in Port Blair and Regional Remote Sensing Centre in Nagpur, which is under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), conducted a study to assess the extent of bleaching during 2010 at selected reef sites in the islands.
The sites surveyed January-June 2010 included Red Skin Island within Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, North Bay, Chidiyatapu - popular tourist destinations - Havelock Aquarium and Havelock Wall, a popular diving site, South Button Island and Nicolson Island, which are protected islands.
'Reef surveys conducted there revealed that the corals have been extensively bleached during April-May 2010, ranging from 37 percent to 70 percent in various sites,' P. Krishnan from Marine Research laboratory told IANS.
According to Krishnan, similar bleachings were reported in 1998 and 2002 in this region. However, the extent of the current bleaching surpasses earlier observations.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are bestowed with the richest coral diversity among all Indian reefs. A total of 177 species of hard corals falling under 57 genera have been reported from these islands.
Bleaching is one of the major threats which has significantly affected the reefs across the globe during different time-periods. Coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and are home to over 25 percent of all marine species in the sea.
Corals are animals having symbiotic association with zooxanthellae, the algae which are responsible for the colouration of the corals.
Expulsion of the algae leads to the whitening of reef-building corals, widely referred to as bleaching. It is caused by physiological, algal, host-related stresses and various ecological and anthropogenic factors.
Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical factor for the well being of symbiotic association of host animals like corals, giant clam and sea anemones with the microalgae.
'Three 100-metre transects were laid for surveys on the bottom topography, live coral cover and extent of bleaching. The atmospheric temperature and sea surface tempearture were measured using a mercury bulb thermometer,' Krishnan said.
Daily sea surface temperature maps for the period April 20 to May 12, 2010 were analysed to gauge the change in sea surface temperature during the period when bleaching was observed.
'The maximum atmospheric and sea surface temperature recorded were between 31-34 degrees Celsius. During summer, sea surface temperature rise of 2 to 3 degrees above the normal maximum can kill the corals,' Krishnan said.
The ideal temperature for corals to survive is between 25-29 degrees Celsius. The average sea-water temperature during the first week of May in all the study sites was 33.8 degrees Celsius, which resulted in extensive bleaching in different parts of the islands.
The atmospheric temperature showed a sudden increase in air temperature in the first, third and fourth weeks of April, the scientist said.
The coral cover estimated at the different study sites was analysed separately to determine the extent of bleaching.
It was observed that the branching corals were the worst affected due to bleaching.
It was also found that the fully bleached corals were maximum at Havelock Island-Wall (69.49 percent), followed by South Button Island (67.28 percent), Nicolson Island (56.45 percent), Havelock Island-Aquarium (43.45 percent), Red Skin Island (43.39 percent), North Bay (41.65 percent) and Chidiyatapu (36.54 percent).
Indian coral reefs have experienced 29 widespread bleaching events since 1989, but intense bleaching occurred in 1998 and 2002. The corals which were affected to the extent of 60 to 70 percent during the earlier events of bleaching recovered, but those fully bleached died.
New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) Rising sea surface temperatures due to global warming caused extensive coral bleaching in some of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in 2010, which, according to a scientist, is the severest in over a decade.
Scientists from Marine Research Laboratory, Central Agriculture Research Institute in Port Blair and Regional Remote Sensing Centre in Nagpur, which is under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), conducted a study to assess the extent of bleaching during 2010 at selected reef sites in the islands.
The sites surveyed January-June 2010 included Red Skin Island within Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, North Bay, Chidiyatapu - popular tourist destinations - Havelock Aquarium and Havelock Wall, a popular diving site, South Button Island and Nicolson Island, which are protected islands.
'Reef surveys conducted there revealed that the corals have been extensively bleached during April-May 2010, ranging from 37 percent to 70 percent in various sites,' P. Krishnan from Marine Research laboratory told IANS.
According to Krishnan, similar bleachings were reported in 1998 and 2002 in this region. However, the extent of the current bleaching surpasses earlier observations.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are bestowed with the richest coral diversity among all Indian reefs. A total of 177 species of hard corals falling under 57 genera have been reported from these islands.
Bleaching is one of the major threats which has significantly affected the reefs across the globe during different time-periods. Coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and are home to over 25 percent of all marine species in the sea.
Corals are animals having symbiotic association with zooxanthellae, the algae which are responsible for the colouration of the corals.
Expulsion of the algae leads to the whitening of reef-building corals, widely referred to as bleaching. It is caused by physiological, algal, host-related stresses and various ecological and anthropogenic factors.
Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical factor for the well being of symbiotic association of host animals like corals, giant clam and sea anemones with the microalgae.
'Three 100-metre transects were laid for surveys on the bottom topography, live coral cover and extent of bleaching. The atmospheric temperature and sea surface tempearture were measured using a mercury bulb thermometer,' Krishnan said.
Daily sea surface temperature maps for the period April 20 to May 12, 2010 were analysed to gauge the change in sea surface temperature during the period when bleaching was observed.
'The maximum atmospheric and sea surface temperature recorded were between 31-34 degrees Celsius. During summer, sea surface temperature rise of 2 to 3 degrees above the normal maximum can kill the corals,' Krishnan said.
The ideal temperature for corals to survive is between 25-29 degrees Celsius. The average sea-water temperature during the first week of May in all the study sites was 33.8 degrees Celsius, which resulted in extensive bleaching in different parts of the islands.
The atmospheric temperature showed a sudden increase in air temperature in the first, third and fourth weeks of April, the scientist said.
The coral cover estimated at the different study sites was analysed separately to determine the extent of bleaching.
It was observed that the branching corals were the worst affected due to bleaching.
It was also found that the fully bleached corals were maximum at Havelock Island-Wall (69.49 percent), followed by South Button Island (67.28 percent), Nicolson Island (56.45 percent), Havelock Island-Aquarium (43.45 percent), Red Skin Island (43.39 percent), North Bay (41.65 percent) and Chidiyatapu (36.54 percent).
Indian coral reefs have experienced 29 widespread bleaching events since 1989, but intense bleaching occurred in 1998 and 2002. The corals which were affected to the extent of 60 to 70 percent during the earlier events of bleaching recovered, but those fully bleached died.