EDITORIAL — Dwindling reefs

The Napoleon wrasse or mameng, until recently a luxurious treat, is no longer served in restaurants. The prices of grouper or lapu-lapu, snapper and moray eel are also on the rise, and are expected to increase as the fish species approach endangered status like the Napoleon wrasse.

This is just one of the consequences of the destruction of coral reefs, the natural breeding grounds of numerous species of marine life. Expensive varieties of seafood are not the only ones that are dwindling in supply. Fish catch is dropping worldwide, with the destruction of their natural breeding grounds aggravated by global warming and overfishing.

The Philippines takes pride in having the world’s so-called center of the center of marine biodiversity: the Verde Island Passage off Batangas. The country is also renowned for other extensive coral reef networks such as the Tubbataha Reefs Marine Park in Palawan and the Apo Reef in Puerto Galera, Mindoro. But it may not be long before the country loses its bragging rights.

Reef Check, the world’s largest reef conservation organization, reported last week that less than five percent of the Philippines’ 27,000 square kilometers of coral reefs can be considered in “excellent condition.” The country’s reefs have not recovered from the devastation resulting from the El Niño phenomenon in 1998, Reef Check reported. The group noted that the problem is common in developing countries such as the Philippines with high population growth rates and burgeoning coastal communities.

The country has the second most extensive coral reef network in Southeast Asia. The marine biodiversity helps ensure the country’s food security and is a major tourist draw. The country must not lose a resource that under the best circumstances may take decades to regenerate.

Addressing the problem is not as simple as it seems. The Verde Island Passage, though now protected by environment advocates, still lies along commercial sealanes from where toxic waste can drift and destroy the coral reef. Because of poor regulation in the maritime industry, the country’s waters and reefs face the constant threat of massive oil spills. Coastal communities need more information on sustainable fishery. Action on this problem cannot wait. Every lost chunk of coral reef can be irretrievable.