#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

6. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTH ASIA:
BANGLADESH, INDIA, MALDIVES, SRI LANKA
ARJAN RAJASURIYA, VENKATARAMAN K., MULEY E.V.,
HUSSEIN ZAHIR AND BEN CATTERMOUL
ABSTRACT
Coral reefs in South Asia are either oceanic atolls such as those of Lakshadweeps, Maldives
and Chagos or growing adjacent to the high islands of Andaman and Nicobar, the Gulf of
Mannar and Gulf of Kutch in India and around Sri Lanka. In Bangladesh, the only coral
reef is St. Martin’s Island, and there are only scattered corals. There are no reefs in
Pakistan. Recovery of corals killed during the 1998 El Niño bleaching event is slow, but
should continue if there are no further major high temperature events. Other damaging
impacts, such as the crown-of-thorns starfish, coral mining, destructive and unmanaged
resource harvesting, sedimentation and pollution continue on the reefs in South Asia and
reduce their capacity for recovery. This report contains more data on reef status, as a
result of major increases in capacity for monitoring and more donor assistance. However,
rarely are the monitoring data used in management decision making. Marine protected
areas management continues to be weak, with a lack of government will, funding and
capacity for conservation, as well as a lack of income generating alternative livelihoods for
the user communities. A large Ramsar site has been established in Chagos, however,
augmenting several Strictly Protected areas. Progress in designating more protected reef
areas is also slow. This report highlights the increasing need to adapt policy and
mechanisms for reef management to adequately reflect the local social, cultural and
environmental conditions. This can only be achieved if the researchers and scientists
produce information that can effectively inform and influence management and policy.
More specific recommendations for improved use of information for management,
sustainable use and conservation of coral reefs in South Asia are identified.
INTRODUCTION
The major coral reef resources are in India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and the vast Chagos
Archipelago, in addition there is one coral reef in Bangladesh (St. Martin's Island) and
only sparse coral communities in Pakistan. This status report updates the more detailed
report produced in 2000 by Arjan Rajasuriya and others. Coral reef monitoring has been
supported in this region since 1997 as a GCRMN Node by the UK Department for
International Development (DFID) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean
(CORDIO), project supported mainly by Swedish aid funds, has also assisted with coral
reef and socio-economic monitoring.
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