Coral predators

A diver collects waste at coral in the water off Cham Island. Coral population in the area was recorded well protected. Photo courtesy of Cham Island MPA

The management board of the Cham Island Maritime Protected Area (MPA) said coral population at the islets off Dai, Kho, La, Mo, Tai, Dau Tai and Xep beaches were seen as the best protected, while key species (living in coral reefs) including grouper and holothurian remained from five to 22 individuals per 100 sq.

Meanwhile, starfish and other coral eating species were rarely found during the check programme in early March.

However, plastic waste such as ghost nets and fishing lines still occupied 71.4 per cent of total waste collected.

Plastic waste including ghost nets and fishing lines is cleaned up in the water of Cham Island during an annual coral check. Photo courtesy Cham Island MPA

According to MPA, sea grass coverage was 16.24 per cent – 10.2 per cent lower than 2019 check – but only areas off the Bac beach recorded the highest rate of well preserved with 34.24 per cent.

The MPA warned the excessive travel of speed boats and mass tourism had left harmful sediment on sea grass over past years.

Experts from the MPA said less mass tourism activities and waste around the Cham Islands – a world biodiversity reserve site – would help the marine ecosystem in waters off the islands recover.

They said more than 2,700 groups of coral species had been planted over 2,000sq.m in waters off the Cham Island in a pilot project from 2015-17, and coral groups have been well developed with a survival ratio ranging between 52 and 99 per cent.

The rapid development of coral reefs will shelter fish and aquatic species from natural disasters.

Cham island-Hoi An, which was recognised as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2009, is seen as one of few places in Vietnam successfully campaigning against plastic bags and promoting 3-R programmes.

It plans to build as the first zero waste site in Vietnam.

The reserve covers more than 33,000ha, including 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea, featuring a wide range of marine fauna and flora.

VNS

A diver collects waste at coral in the water off Chàm Island. Coral population in the area was recorded well protected. Photo courtesy of Chàm Island MPA

CHÀM ISLAND — Coral reefs off Chàm Island have been well conserved with an average coverage of 59.16 per cent at seven sites following an annual reef check and coral clean-up programme.

The management board of the Chàm Island Maritime Protected Area (MPA) said coral population at the islets off Dài, Khô, Lá, Mồ, Tai, Đậu Tai and Xếp beaches were seen as the best protected, while key species (living in coral reefs) including grouper and holothurian remained from five to 22 individuals per 100 sq.

Meanwhile, starfish and other coral eating species were rarely found during the check programme in early March.

However, plastic waste such as ghost nets and fishing lines still occupied 71.4 per cent of total waste collected.

Plastic waste including ghost nets and fishing lines is cleaned up in the water of Chàm Island during an annual coral check. Photo courtesy Chàm Island MPA

According to MPA, sea grass coverage was 16.24 per cent – 10.2 per cent lower than 2019 check – but only areas off the Bắc beach recorded the highest rate of well preserved with 34.24 per cent.

The MPA warned the excessive travel of speed boats and mass tourism had left harmful sediment on sea grass over past years.

Experts from the MPA said less mass tourism activities and waste around the Chàm Islands – a world biodiversity reserve site – would help the marine ecosystem in waters off the islands recover.

They said more than 2,700 groups of coral species had been planted over 2,000sq.m in waters off the Chàm Island in a pilot project from 2015-17, and coral groups have been well developed with a survival ratio ranging between 52 and 99 per cent.

The rapid development of coral reefs will shelter fish and aquatic species from natural disasters.

Chàm island-Hội An, which was recognised as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2009, is seen as one of few places in Việt Nam successfully campaigning against plastic bags and promoting 3-R programmes.

It plans to build as the first zero waste site in Việt Nam.

The reserve covers more than 33,000ha, including 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea, featuring a wide range of marine fauna and flora. — VNS

The Philippine Coast Guard reported that some 220 vessels, believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, were seen moored in line formation at a reef on March 7, a cross-government task force said late on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin, asked whether he would file a diplomatic protest over the ships’ presence, told a journalist on Twitter: “Only if the generals tell me. In my watch foreign policy is the fist in the iron glove of the armed forces.”

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea expressed concern about overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to safety of navigation.

An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea, but Beijing does not recognize the ruling. China in recent years has built islands in the disputed waters, putting air strips on some of them.

In January, the Philippines protested a new Chinese law allowing its coastguard to fire on foreign vessels, describing it as a “threat of war”.

The United States has repeatedly denounced what it called China’s attempts to bully neighbors with competing interests, while Beijing has criticized Washington for what it calls interference in its internal affairs.

The Chinese vessels were at the Julian Felipe Reef, also called Whitsun Reef, in Manila’s exclusive economic zone, the task force said, describing the site as “a large boomerang-shaped shallow coral reef at the northeast of Pagkakaisa Banks and Reefs.”

“Despite clear weather at the time, the Chinese vessels massed at the reef showed no actual fishing activities and had their full white lights turned on during night time,” it said in a statement.

The Philippines vowed to monitor the situation and “to peacefully and proactively pursue its initiatives on environmental protection, food security and freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea.