8/2/2019 Coral Reefs Survive Tsunami but Not Cyanide Bombs

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Coral reefs survive tsunami but not cyanide bombs

The research, conducted less than 100 days after the massive Indian Ocean tsunami of December

26th, 2004, found limited damage to coral or reef fish communities across 49 reefs surveyed in

northern Aceh, Indonesia.

"Basically we found that the early reports

about tsunami devastation to the coral

reefs on which the local tourism industry

is based were grossly exaggerated," said

Dr Andrew Baird of the Australian

Research Council Center of Excellence

for Coral Reef Studies who was a member

of the assessment team. "Similarly, the

tsunami had no detectable effect on reef

fish assemblages at these sites. Damage to

the corals ...was surprisingly limited andtrivial when compared to pre-existing

damage, probably caused by destructive

fishing practices."

The researchers say that human use of

explosives and poison for fishing has

taken a heavy toll on reefs in the region

but that reefs managed in the traditional

Acehnese system were effective in

protecting coral ecosystems.

"Coral cover was on average 2-3 times

higher on reefs managed under the

traditional Acehnese system, and in the

Pulau Rubiah Marine Park compared to

open-access areas," said Dr Stuart

Campbell who leads the Wildlife

Conservation Society (WCS) Indonesian

marine program "The high quality of

many of the reefs of Pulau Weh represents

a considerable conservation achievement.

While the condition of many reefs in the

region remains a cause for concern, this is one of the few examples of successful marine resourcemanagement using both a traditional approach and marine reserves globally".

Dr Morgan Pratchett, also from the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies added "The Acehnese

traditional model has been successful because maintaining the livelihoods of the people is the main

goal: people have not been excluded from the environment. Fishing pressure is managed through

group decisions plus there is an effective means of conflict resolution".

"We have much to learn from the Acehnese experience." said Baird "Their success in the face of civil

war, economic collapse, and catastrophic natural disaster is extraordinary, and the goal is to

understand and replicate their success in other parts of Indonesia and the world".

Taken fromhttp://news.mongabay.com/2006/0927-coral.htmlat march 31

Coral reef parks established by locals more effective than

government reserves. Coral reef marine protected areas

established by local people for traditional use can be far

more effective at protecting fish and wildlife than

reserves set up by governments expressly forconservation purposes, according to a study by the New

York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and

other groups.

Reefs threatened by tsunami reconstruction. Indian

Ocean coral reefs that escaped serious damage are

coming under increasing threat from reconstruction

efforts in the region according to a new report from the

international environmental groups, World Conservation

Union and the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

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