EDITORIAL - Dwindling reefs

In addition to fishkills attributed to too many fish pens and periodic red tide infestation, there is another festering problem that is killing fish in this country: the destruction of corals.

One culprit in coral destruction is the predator crown-of-thorns starfish that has infested Philippine waters, including the Verde Island Passage, which has been described by experts as the “center of the center of marine biodiversity” in the world. Another culprit is destructive fishing using dynamite and trawlers. Other culprits are pollution and global warming, with rising ocean temperatures bleaching coral reefs. 

Among the biggest enemies of coral reefs are the profiteers who illegally harvest them for sale as decoration. Last month the Bureau of Customs intercepted black corals and other marine species valued at P35 million as they were set to be illegally shipped to China from the Port of Manila. The Department of Justice has since filed formal charges and placed on a watchlist the consignee of the shipment, Exequiel Navarro, together with Zamboanga-based traders Olivia Lim Li, Kim Atillano and Ireneo Penuliar. The corals were declared as raw rubber in the seized shipment that also included 163 stuffed hawkbill and green turtles, 7,340 pieces of trumpet and helmet shells, and 196 kilos of sea whips.

Coral reefs serve as breeding grounds for fish and other forms of marine life. They are also among the biggest tourism draws in this country, making diving and snorkeling an unforgettable experience. But in the past decades the country, which has one of the most extensive reef networks in the world, has lost vast tracts of its coral forests. Even with timely action, it will take generations to replace the loss. And the reefs could disappear forever if the destruction goes unchecked. The country needs an effective system of protecting its marine life, strict implementation of laws, and punishment of those who destroy endangered species.