To download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216417
Special Report for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Wednesday 5 March 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th
Niphon Phongsuwan, Coral reef biologist at the Phuket Marine Biological Center or PMBC, recently told us about the current problem for coral reefs being destroyed by several Crown of Thorns Starfish outbreaks in various locations near Phuket.
Back in 1984, The PMBC surveyed crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks in the reefs on several islands in the Andaman Sea. Serious outbreaks were found on some, while others did not show outbreaks, however there was a presence of dead coral which was suspected to have been caused by crown-of-thorns starfish.
In early 2007, an outbreak was found in a small cove, south of Ba-ngu Island (the northernmost island of the Similian group). The reef had been hugely degraded within a few months as a result. The staff of PMBC and Similian National Park removed 65 in an area of about 150 x 50 metres in March 2007. At the present time, outbreaks are still found in some areas. At Racha Yai Island, south of Phuket, recent outbreaks were found at some spots on the east coast of the island, and this year near Ko Aeo, south east of Phuket.
The crown-of-thorns starfish is a natural part of the reef ecosystem, and if the population levels are balanced, it is beneficial to the environment. These starfish choose to eat fast growing coral species, particularly staghorn coral. Fast growing coral species can cover areas very quickly, and compete for space with slow growing species. The crown-of-thorns starfish helps to maintain a balance, and allows space for the slowing growing species, therefore creating higher levels of diversity.
Currently, high levels of fertilizer are used in agriculture, and are subsequently being flushed to the sea. This fertilizer provides food for phytoplankton, and when phytoplankton blooms it causes zooplankton to bloom as well. The larvae of the crown-of-thorns starfish begins as zooplankton, so the presence of fertilizer causes the crown-of-thorns starfish to proliferate. Another cause of the abundance of these starfish is a lack of predators such as the rare Triton shells, or triggerfish, due to illegal fishing and sales of shells. Khun Nipon also wants to tell people not to feed fish with bread as the fish then do not eat naturally, including the larvae of crown of thorn starfish.
Many divers have asked him how many crown-of-thorns starfish in a certain area define it as an outbreak. Scientists approximate if there are greater than 10 individuals in one hectare, that area is considered to have an outbreak. If there are greater than 30 individuals in one hectare, the outbreak is at a very serious level.
If any divers find an outbreak case, it is acceptable to kill or remove the starfish to help preserve the affected reefs. However, if the outbreak area is within a National Park, a permit must be obtained before anything can be removed. There are several methods which can be used to limit the number of crown-of-thorns starfish. You can use a knife to cut the central part of the starfish body, but should take care not to merely cut it in half, as the two halves can regenerate. Another option is to collect the starfish and bring them on shore to dry out.
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You may also call khun Nipon at the PMBC for more information at Tel : 076 391128 Fax : 0 76 391127 Email : info@greenfins-thailand.org
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¼Ðo Âsia )ª╞5 Onde sana mah go
sahannah7 8 months ago
@superbaum
What the fuck are you saying som
adrastea99 1 year ago
@adrastea99 So after destroying communism we have a new purpose! Kill the Crown of Thorns Starfish! LETS DO IT !!!
superbaum 1 year ago
kill EVERY fucking crown of thorns you see
EVERY TIME NO MATTER WHAT !
shootnmove 1 year ago
Whether humans are to blame for starting this is debatable and relatively pointless, since it's already in motion
The question is whether you think it's possible for humans to stay by the side of the reef 24/7 for the next x millions of years and protect it from the starfish
Don't be silly
adrastea99 1 year ago
@adrastea99
No, you don't get it. It isn't sustainable due to an artificial force, namely human intervention. Before humans got involved it was balanced and crown of thorns came and went. Divers wouldn't have to be there 24/7 if we weren't removing the predators to keep the starfish in check in the first place for pretty shells (ex. Giant Triton). This is not a closed ecosystem. There is no such thing as 'controlling a collapse'. It will occur elsewhere anyways.
seantrayner 1 year ago
Doesn't matter what the cause was, the reef will die, the starfish population will decrease due to no reef, end of story
It isn't a sustainable system, you can't expect divers to be there 24/7 protecting the reef from predators
What if there is a loss of funding? Or a natural disaster/war which prevents the divers from being there to help the reef out?
Better that ecosystem collapses now, while we can control the collapse, than later when we aren't there to stop the damage from spreading
adrastea99 1 year ago
@adrastea99 unfortunately that's a very naive and uninformed opinion. Changes like that do not accumulate quickly, it happens over a long long period of time. Part of the reason why these starfish are booming is because increased nutrient run-off and removal of the starfish predators, in part because of human activity. Before you make a broad platitude about something you don't know about do a little research.
seantrayner 1 year ago
Life is a competition, losers die, winners live
If coral reefs don't develop a way to deal with these starfish, they don't deserve to live
adrastea99 1 year ago
COT starfish kills the coral and fishing kills all the bigger fish!
Too much sneaky poaching going on in Thailand, they don't care whats left?
LabRat6619 1 year ago