DENR orders removal of coral-eating starfish

The government has launched a campaign to rid the country’s coastlines and beaches of the destructive coral-eating starfish also known as crown of thorns.

Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes said the drive was prompted by reports of the depletion of the country’s corals due to the "massive outbreak" of the crown of thorns starfish (Ancanthaster planci).

"These giant starfishes destroy the ecosystem through its voracious appetite for coral reefs," Reyes said.

"Because of rising sea temperatures and the run-off from human terrestrial effluents that increase plankton food for starfish larvae, the number of crown of thorns starfish has rapidly increased," he added.

Reyes instructed regional directors of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to immediately pinpoint where the destructive starfish thrive in their respective jurisdictions and organize groups, including divers, to help exterminate them.

The giant starfish can be found in Mauritius in the western Indian Ocean, Australia, Ryukyu Islands in Japan, the Philippines, and the west coast of America.

Global conservation group World Wide Fund-Philippines (WWF) reported earlier the proliferation of the "crown of thorns" starfish in many parts of the Philippines including Mabini, Batangas; Apo Reef, Puerto Galera in Mindoro, Roxas in Palawan, Bolinao in Lingayen Gulf, and in Kiamba and Glan in Sarangani Bay.

WWF believes more coastal areas are under threat from the destructive creatures.

"We enjoin all citizens in these areas to help in controlling and averting a population explosion of the noxious starfish. We should not wait for another calamity to befall us," Reyes said.

"With only five percent of our coral reefs in excellent condition we can ill-afford to allow the crown of thorns to further degrade our coral reefs. We should act now," the DENR chief added.

He said the starfish could be exterminated through poisoning but he recommended the manual extrication of the creature from its habitat.

He advised the use of tongs when prying and collecting the crown of thorns starfish since its spines are poisonous.

WWF president Lorenzo Tan said the crown of thorns starfish should not be cut up because it would simply regenerate. Tan added that all collected crown of thorns starfish should be placed in a bucket or holding bin before "disposing them humanely on the beach."

"The crown of thorns starfish are capable of severe stings that contact will almost surely inflict severe swelling, pain and nausea that can last for hours or days," Tan warned.

WWF said that crown of thorns starfish usually thrive in summer, when ocean temperatures and nutrient levels increase.

Crown of thorns starfish are prey to several wrasse species including the Napoleon wrasse or mameng and the giant triton, which are themselves steadily declining due to illegal collection for food and aquarium trade.

WWF-Philippines media officer Gregg Yan said that normally, reefs should be left alone to deal with unusual occurrences such as the invasion of the crown of thorns starfish, but he said the situation facing the country’s reefs is "far from normal."

"As of today, the damage is not yet great," Yan said. "But unless we act now, entire hectares of our local reefs will be decimated and eaten by summer’s end."

Yan explained that "a serious infestation" of the crown of thorns starfish could destroy entire sections of coral reef in weeks. He said that a single crown of thorns starfish could consume six meters of healthy reef annually.

Last February, the WWF organized a cleanup of crown of thorns starfish at Apo Reef.

WWF data showed that the Philippines once had 25,000 square kilometers of coral reef. But a recent World Bank study revealed that more than half of the country’s reefs are now unhealthy.