New lease on life for dead
coral reefs in Mambulao Bay
For several days now, a group of fisherman-divers in Mambulao town in Camarines Norte is working in haste to plant fragments of live corals on the reefs where the remains of dead corals littered the area.
By ALFREDO P. HERNANDEZ
RAYS of hope for a new life have shone on the coral reefs of Mambulao Bay flattened by a deadly predator called Crown-of-Thorns Starfish.
Likewise, those reef areas that were destroyed by other
causes such as illegal fishing using dynamite and illegal harvest of corals for
home ornaments are also going to get the much-needed fix.
For several days now, a group of fisherman-divers in
Mambulao town in Camarines Norte is working in haste to plant fragments of live
corals on the reefs where the remains of dead corals littered the area.
The coral reefs in front of Isla Agua ni Cion off the
Mambulao Bay were destroyed by illegal fisher folks who used dynamites and
collected rare, multi-colored corals as well for sale to Manila buyers.
The workers are using a BFAR-designed artificial coral
module made of iron rods welded into makeshift four-sided pyramids which will
serve as artificial reefs.
Soon, the men will also erect more modules in the sand to
hold in place live coral fingers.
Man-made corals
If these coral-growing efforts prove successful, the sandy
areas around the reefs would become new grounds for man-made coral ground.
The modules serve as artificial homes where corals of
varying colors would normally grow and spread to become new habitats and
breeding grounds for marine life such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and
shells, among others.
To recall, a vast army of deadly starfish predators of
corals–the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish or COTS–had just inundated the reef areas
on the coastlines of Mambulao Bay. (See also: Outbreak of fiercely destructive
starfish in coral reefs of Mambulao town in Camarines Nort e)
No one knew when the silent invasion of COTS began, but
spearfisher folks who worked the areas for years made sense of the starfish’s
devastating effects only recently.
‘Module’ method
In using the module method, the divers hooked up fragments
of live coral three to five inches long into the skeletons of the four-sided
steel pyramids.
They used plastic zip locks to fasten the coral fingers on
the frames as these binders last longer in seawater than other materials.
The pyramids are about 2.5 feet tall and the base of the
bottom frame measures three feet wide on four sides.
Before being deployed to the rehabilitation site, it is
primed first by coating the steelworks with rubber cement. Then, the sticky
steel rods are wrapped in thick sand and left to bake hard in the sun.
This way, all parts of the pyramids are rough, something
that encourages young corals to cling on as they grow new fingers.
The workers bind the fragments of coral onto the frame, allowing
a space of five inches in between. The young corals need it for their normal
growth.
BFAR Region 5 has recommended the pyramid design based on
the successful module they used in certain coral rehabilitation areas in
southern Bicol.
During the actual coral planting, the workers would submerge
the module just under the surface of the water while suspended from two ropes
leashed on the boat’s poles.
This has to be done to spare the young corals from the
stress of being exposed to the air and sun while being sown, which could cause
their death.
Coral rehabilitation
The coral reefs rehab efforts near Isla Agua ni Cion, which
boasts of a long stretch of white beach sand, began a few weeks ago.
Already, the workers had deployed 108 modules to the first
project site in the area.
To raise the much-needed funds, the project has offered
interested individuals the chance to adopt one or two artificial coral modules
for P600 each.
Right now, there are 11 modules up for grabs, and the money
to be raised would pay for the materials in building more pyramid frames,
wages, and food.
So far, over 10 families and individuals have already
committed to taking care of one or two modules from the initial 108 deployed
earlier.
Just barely a month since the group launched the initial
rehab in Isla Agua ni Cion, the first batch of young corals have already shown
vibrant growth and colors, according to project coordinator Artemio Andaya.
“The stump showing where the corals broke off had
disappeared as fresh growth–a new branch-- has already covered it,” he said
with excitement.
Workers had collected these fragments around the dead reefs
and cared for them in a nursery until they were ready for transplant to
artificial reef modules.
And the good news is that hordes of fish of different
colors began frequenting the area, a clear sign the rehab works near Isla Agua
Ni Cion is working, says a very proud Andaya.
In a posting on the group’s Facebook account Mambulao
ArtsnCrafts, Andaya said: “It inspired us to see some changes in the corals
within the coral restoration area in front of Isla Agua ni Cion. Because the area is being regulated from fishing activities for almost two months, the
result is a gradual increase in fish recruits.
“Nowadays, we see great numbers of fish species every day.
One of the best things here is the absence of the reef killer- the
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish.
“There is no sign of any coral being damaged by this
invasive species.”
For financial help, donors could contact the volunteers
through its Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/mambulao.artsncrafts .
https://opinyon.net/national/new-lease-on-life-for-mambulao-bay-s-dead-coral-reefs?)
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