Coral Bleaching And Closure Of Dive Spots In Thailand: Special Report

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Special Report: Coral Bleaching and Closure of Dive Spots

For ages, Southern Thailand has been globally renowned for its sand beaches and magnificent coral reefs, attracting several millions of international tourists each year. Now, such national reputation could be in jeopardy after severe bleaching of corals was found in 2010. Important dive spots have thus been closed to rescue the marine lives.

The coloration of coral reefs come from a kind of algae called zooxanthellae, which live symbiotically in the corals’ tissues and help generate energy through photosynthesis. When enduring a certain level of stress or disturbance, the algae tend to abandon the corals in search for safer homes. The corals would then be left with no colors, or the whitening effect, and gradually die from deprivation of the much-needed energy.

There are various kinds of disturbances that can cause coral bleaching, ranging from abnormal rises in the water temperature as a result of global warming and pollution released into the sea by inhabitants, tourists, fishing boats, etc to natural disasters like violent storms and tsunamis.

Bleaching has been discovered worldwide, most rampant in the Indian Ocean, and has been occurring more frequently over the past 30 years. As for Thailand, extensive bleaching took place in the Gulf of Thailand in the year 1998 when the area received the impact from the El Niño phenomenon with dramatic changes in weather and rising sea temperature. On average, 30-40 percent of the coral reefs in the Gulf were killed while a death rate of up to 80-90 percent was found in some areas.

In 2010, the worst coral bleaching in Thailand’s history was recorded due to the extremely high water temperature. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reported that 70 percent of the corals off the Andaman coast were in the process of whitening while, depending on the area, 5-40 percent of them were dying.

However, it is possible for bleached corals to recover and regain their colors within several weeks or a few months if the disturbing factor subsides in time and there is no additional stress in their environment. Based on this fact, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation declared on 21 January 2011 temporary closure of 7 key dive sites located in marine national parks in the southern region of Thailand in an effort to allow time for the coral recovery process and to put a brake on human activities posing threats to the ecosystem.

The following are the 7 marine areas where entrance by tourists, divers and fishing boats are prohibited.

1. Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang province, around Ko Chueak

2. Mu Ko Phetra National Park in Satun province, around Ko Bulon Mai Phai and Ko Bulon Rang Phueng

3. Tarutao National Park in Satun province, around Ko Takiang, Ko Hin Ngam, Ko Rawi and Ko Dong

4. Mu Ko Chumphon National Park in Chumphon province, around Ko Maphrao

5. Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province, around Hin Klang reef

6. Mu Ko Surin National Park in Phang Nga province, around Ao Suthep, Ao Mai Ngam and Ko Stork

7. Mu Ko Similan National Park in Phang Nga province, around Ao Fai Wap and East of Eden

According to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti, an evaluation will be conducted throughout the first month of closure to see whether there are signs of coral recovery and whether the closure should be short- or long-term. In response to concerns expressed by local hotel and tourism entrepreneurs over possible effects from the measure on their businesses, relevant authorities have explained that the closure of the national parks is only partial and there are still a number of other dive sites available for tourists in Southern Thailand.

-- NNT 2011-02-01

[backfromouterspace]

an evaluation will be conducted throughout the first month of closure to see whether there are signs of coral recovery and whether the closure should be short- or long-term.

i.e. if boat companies and tourist organisations want the dive sites open quickly then maybe a donation to the powers that be is in order.

[jonclark]

Whilst it is sad that people will lose income due to the closure, I feel that we need to give nature a break and give it time to recover. The quieter and less disturbance then hopefully the quicker the whole ecosystem will return to it's pristine best.

[Crushdepth]

Another deliberately misleading article. Just to put the record straight:

1. Diving does *not* cause coral bleaching. There is no relationship whatsoever. None.

2. Closing dive sites will *not* help coral recover from bleaching (see point one).

3. The primary cause of bleaching is high water temperature.

Articles that seek to imply a link between diving and coral bleaching are disingenuous.

I've seen a recent survey from the Prince of Songkla academic who is pushing the diving ban, and the other thing that was in it was the introduction of a (large) resource management fee for diver access. Given the current corruption scandal about park entry fees being pocketed by parks staff, I don't think that's a particularly helpful suggestion either.

Cunning plan: Blame coral bleaching on divers => introduce "management" fee to "solve the problem" => pocket fee and do nothing.

Sound familiar?

Edited February 1, 2011 by Crushdepth

[stevenl]

an evaluation will be conducted throughout the first month of closure to see whether there are signs of coral recovery and whether the closure should be short- or long-term.

i.e. if boat companies and tourist organisations want the dive sites open quickly then maybe a donation to the powers that be is in order.

I don't think any of the diving companies will want the sites open, they all care about the environment.

In response to concerns expressed by local hotel and tourism entrepreneurs over possible effects from the measure on their businesses, relevant authorities have explained that the closure of the national parks is only partial and there are still a number of other dive sites available for tourists in Southern Thailand.

The concerns from hotel and tourist entrepreneurs were not because of concerns about these measures, but because of the individual government employees who all went to the media to express their opinions on what should be done, based on partial information, based on wrong assumptions, based on a lack of understanding of nature, etc.

And because of articles like this one, which again proves that a lack of knowledge about the substance is no reason not to write about it.

Edited February 1, 2011 by stevenl

[jonclark]

Another deliberately misleading article. Just to put the record straight:

1. Diving does *not* cause coral bleaching. There is no relationship whatsoever. None.

2. Closing dive sites will *not* help coral recover from bleaching (see point one).

3. The primary cause of bleaching is high water temperature.

Articles that seek to imply a link between diving and coral bleaching are disingenuous.

I've seen a recent survey from the Prince of Songkla academic who is pushing the diving ban, and the other thing that was in it was the introduction of a (large) resource management fee for diver access. Given the current corruption scandal about park entry fees being pocketed by parks staff, I don't think that's a particularly helpful suggestion either.

Cunning plan: Blame coral bleaching on divers => introduce "management" fee to "solve the problem" => pocket fee and do nothing.

Sound familiar?

Sorry, must have read the wrong article - Where in the OP did it state that coral bleaching was the result of divers? It didn't. The closure is to reduce the disturbance in the area and hopefully increase the rate of recovery and encourage the zooxanthellae to return.

As for the 'management fee' diving is a cash cow and no doubt it will happen (rightly or wrongly you choose). But until the coral recovers who is going to want to dive at these sites?

[Crushdepth]

I do - the bleaching event is over with the last visible bleaching remaining gone since about mid-December.

Check out the other articles/threads on this issue, this is one in a series and there is a misinformation campaign going on, I presume to garner political support for the $$$ grabbing and pocket stuffing.

Edited February 1, 2011 by Crushdepth

[jonclark]

I do - the bleaching event is over with the last visible bleaching remaining gone since about mid-December.

Check out the other articles/threads on this issue, this is one in a series and there is a misinformation campaign going on, I presume to garner political support for the $$$ grabbing and pocket stuffing.

So the coral has recovered???

[gekko050]

As a Divemaster that has dived extensively in the national park around ko Phi Phi, (actually sailed off Ko Jum but visited the islands in that park - Bida Nok, Bida Ni, Maya Bay) I have to add some weight to this thread. It is very true that coral bleaching is not caused by diving in any way, it is a natural phenomenon, but its recovery can be seriously effected by divers. I dove extensively last in 2008 in the area but returned recently and dove there last month, and was utterly horrified at how much of the coral and the wildlife that lived on it had been killed off by the bleaching. From the colourful picture it once was, it was heartbreaking to see it as if it had survived a nuclear winter (I can only speak in specifics for the wall near Maya Bay and Bida Nok, but the resident Divemasters from Ko Phi Phi dont even dive in Maya Bay as they say there is nothing there!). The coral fan coral was non-existent, the bubble coral that turtles often feast on was a fraction of its normal size, and the vast majority of other corals were just pure white.

I have also witnessed first hand how idiotic and careless divers can effect by poking, prodding, accidentally hitting etc, the tiny amount of fragile coral that is desperately trying to recover, and while if I was still earning a living from diving there I would resent the loss of business, I can totally understand why a temporary ban is in place as some of the sites have a ridiculous amount of divers which will significantly slow any recovery, not to mention litter, polution, bored long tail boatmen fishing for squid etc.

I know that corruption may well become an issue in re-opening some of the sites, and that is truly dissapointing, but the reasons for bringing in the temporary ban are seriously justified, and believe me unlike what has been posted after this article, I can very much assure you that in mid December the coral was extensively bleached around these sites, and into January, and these things take years to recover.