Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

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Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000 CIGUATERA FISH POISONING Ciguatera fish poisoning is a problem in Vanuatu and Tuvalu. Ciguatera is caused by a toxin from a microscopic marine dinoflagellate alga (Gambierdiscus toxicus) which lives on the surface of larger algae and coral fragments. It is bioaccumulated up the food chain, starting in herbivorous fishes and ending up in carnivores, which are the targets for human consumption. The toxin also accumulates in people and is difficult to dilute out of the body if fish is a major dietary component. Symptoms range from mild to serious, and occasionally death. The creation of favourable habitats for the toxic algae through dredging of lagoons and channelisation can increase the incidence of ciguatera poisoning. by gear and size rather than by tenurial areas or histories. Most fisheries departments have policies that encourage maximum rather than sustainable fish catches, which usually leads to overfishing. Conservation is typically the role of ‘environment’ departments. In addition, there is lack of information on stock estimates and the basic biology or natural history of many of the species. Therefore regulation of the subsistence fishery is trivial and catch and size limits are rarely set or enforced at the village or market level through governmental mechanisms. Regional and national attempts have been made to re-stock important reef species like giant clams, trochus and green snails, but these have had limited success. There are some projects in Fiji and Solomon Islands to replenish coral stocks (e.g. Acropora) by seeding fragments in lagoons under controlled conditions. Mangrove trees are being re-planted in other pilot projects. A general strategy to supplement declining reef fish stocks through aquaculture or stock enhancement has been adopted by all countries. Tilapia cultivation in village projects has been successful in Fiji, but other aquaculture projects have been less beneficial, and had adverse consequences for coral reefs. One example is the widespread cultivation of the introduced seaweed Kappaphycus, which has spread to areas of Fiji well away from the original farm sites. THREATS TO CORAL REEF FISHERIES Coastal reef fisheries face a number of threats and challenges, with the most important being the need for sustainability to maintain food security of the people. But the lack of data, and few qualified personnel and resources to regulate the subsistence fishery, plus the lack of properly managed conservation areas hinder efforts towards sustainable management of reef fisheries for the future. Traditional subsistence fishing methods have rapidly been displaced by modern methods, which are often biologically and environmentally unfriendly. This has been accelerated with the advent of local cash economies. Destructive fishing methods such as the use of dynamite, plant (e.g. derris) and chemical poisons, have degraded large areas of coral reefs, and interrupted the biological cycles that support the coastal fisheries. Selective fishing of the top predators has also changed the structure of reef fish communities, with unpredictable long-term implications. Pacific Island populations doubled between the 168
Status of Coral Reefs in the Southwest Pacific Harmful fishing methods Endangered or threatened species FIJI Scuba; hookah; poisons Tridacna, Pinctada marginifera, (e.g. derris) Holothuria fuscogilva, H. scabra, H. nobilis, Charonia tritonis, Bolbometopon muricatus NAURU Scuba; Small mesh sized Mullets; Kyphosus cinerascens, seine and cast nets Cephalopholis miniata, Cheilinus undulatus, spiny lobsters Tridacna NEW CALEDONIA Reef walking, bag nets, ? crowbars, small-mesh nets, Poisons, SAMOA Poisons Tridacna squamosa, Hippopus hippopus, Mugil cephalus, Chanos chanos, Charonia tritonis, Scylla serrata. SOLOMON ISLANDS Explosives, poisons Green snail (Turbo mamoratus), (e.g. derris, Barringtonia, cyanide) lobsters, dugongs TUVALU scuba, hookah Tridacna spp. VANUATU Poisons ? Summary of harmful fishing methods and endangered or threatened species. 1960s and 1990s, which exerted increasing pressure on inshore and reef subsistence fisheries. Over-fishing was inevitable, and fishers now spend more hours at sea and travel further to sustain the same level of catch. The life histories of marine organisms are often disrupted by encroachment (reclamation for land development) and habitat destruction (mining, rubbish dumping). Target species (e.g. grey mullets) have become endangered in Samoa and Fiji because they are fished by more fishers using overly efficient methods (e.g. gill and seine nets). As more target marine animals are threatened, fishing methods and activities will continue to increase in efficiency and destructiveness until the biological diversity will be compromised and the food security of many Pacific Island countries will be threatened. Many of the same natural and anthropogenic threats to coral reefs also affect the fisheries. Additional threats include rapid population growth with consequent increases on reef resource exploitation, the incentive from the cash economy to catch more fish than needed for home consumption, and the loss of traditional systems controlling the use of resources. When these threats are combined with the other threats to reef health, the prognosis for sustainable reef fisheries is poor. CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS Cyclones are the major factors that determine the geomorphology of many coral reefs; they build up rubble and sediments, to create new habitats and islands; and also can remove coral cover from large areas of reefs. Cyclones can also cause increased sediment and 169
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FOREWORD Over the past few years, I
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CONTENTS COUNTRIES, STATES AND TERR
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COUNTRIES, STATES AND TERRITORIES A
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Countries, States and Territories T
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CLIVE WILKINSON T
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Executive Summary CORAL BLEACHING I
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Executive Summary South Asia Most r
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Executive Summary parts of Fiji and
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Executive Summary management and mo
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Executive Summary tourism developme
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Executive Summary problem is loomin
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6. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTH A
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Status of Coral Reefs in South Asia
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15. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE NO
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Northe
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17. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE EA
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Easter
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18. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTHE
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Status of Coral Reefs in Southern T
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19. SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, CORAL
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Sponsoring Organisations, Coral Ree
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AGRRA AIMS ASEAN B
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