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

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Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 The Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea There are two major industrial developments in coral rich areas of the Gulf of Oman that could damage corals: a large hotel development; and a mineral fertiliser plant. Hotels are being built near the scenic Bandar Jissah, 10km southeast of Muscat. An EIA in 2001 identified threats to coral reefs from the approach road and small boat-landing site. The alignment of the approach road was altered, but the threat from the small boat landing site remains. Some corals have already been damaged during the construction of temporary landing sites, which is near one of the few remaining Acropora communities in the Muscat area. Construction of an ammonia and urea plant at Qalhat, 200km southeast of Muscat, will commence in late 2002 at a site adjacent to an existing natural gas processing facility. Pipelines and the loading jetty extend approximately 1km through coral-rich areas. Precautions are planned to mitigate the impact of construction on coral communities, and a marine environmental monitoring program is in place. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AND LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT The Marine Pollution Section of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources of Oman has implemented a National Coral Reef Management Plan in 2002 to include coral reef monitoring around Muscat, surveys to the southeast of Muscat, and public awareness campaigns. Coral reef rehabilitation trials using natural settlement on artificial reef structures (Reefballs) are currently underway and will be continued for a further 12 months. The general level of management in Marine Protected Areas in Oman is currently being reviewed, particularly at the Daymaniyat Islands National Nature Reserve, and an assessment is currently underway to indicate the feasibility of a World Heritage Site on the coast of Oman that would incorporate the country’s best coral reefs. CONCLUSIONS There is considerable concern over the health status of corals following the mass coral bleaching and mortality in 1996 and 1998 in the Gulf. Mortality was widespread, however there is now evidence of recovery with new coral growth at Kish Island, Iran of mainly Acropora species. These corals are growing at around 10cm per year, suggesting that healthy Acropora populations will be established in a few years, provided there is no similar bleaching. Human impacts on the marine environment in the Gulf area, especially large oil spills in the last years and also the continuation of oil pollutants from shipping activity in the area (particularly through the smuggling of oil in old and uncertified Iraqi tankers in the northern parts of the Gulf), have narrowed the tolerance limits of these stressed coral species, therefore increasing their susceptibility. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE CONSERVATION OF CORAL REEF RESOURCES The capacity for Integrated Coastal Management at national and regional levels is insufficient to develop and implement effective plans for the sustainable management of coastal resources. Weak or poorly disseminated plans underlie some developments in which serious environmental damage has resulted. Furthermore, plans should refer to the obligations of countries to international conventions particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity, MARPOL, and regional agreements such as Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME). 60
Status of Coral Reefs of the Persian/Arabian Gulf and Arabian Sea Region The EIA process is part of national legislation for any development. This is a significant achievement during the last 10 years, however, the system can be improved through the development of clearer and more detailed government policies, environmental quality standards and monitoring requirements, which would strengthen government control over private and public sector development. Discharges of cooling water, and dredging and land reclamation activities in coral rich areas result in direct damage and efforts should be focused initially on these issues. The first priority in the region should be to strengthen the management of existing marine protected areas and parks so that they can meet their primary objectives. These MPAs should be used as a catalyst to train more marine park rangers and wardens, and use these staff to assess additional sites for conservation to ensure that a representative number of habitats and species are included in a network of effectively managed protected areas. Greater awareness needs to be raised with the public, fishing communities and industry of the importance of reefs and how human activities may damage them. Fishing activity needs to be effectively controlled in MPAs to prevent damage from gillnets and trawling. By actively involving the public in practical measures (e.g. COTS control programs, net clearance, installation of mooring buoys, beach clean-ups, and reporting of spear-fishing) the necessary messages can be more effectively conveyed to targeted audiences. In order to implement uniform management in the region it is recommended that a regional monitoring network be established through national and regional cooperation and contributions. Community based organisations, non-governmental organisations, governments and ROPME all have an important role to play in setting up and implementing such an initiative. A panel of experts drawn from around the region should be formed to coordinate and oversee the monitoring network, and to advise on regional issues like COTS outbreaks, mass bleaching events, oil spills affecting reef areas, dissemination of reef related research and to improve on existing knowledge of coral taxonomy in the region. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank Yusef Fadlallah and Kent Allen for the data on coral cover changes in Saudi Arabia. AUTHOR CONTACTS Simon Wilson, Dept of Biological Sciences, Warwick University UK and Oman, simon.wilson@adelphi-env.com Seyed Mohammad Reza Fatemi, Dept. of Fisheries and Marine Biology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, fatemi@tavana.net; Mohammad Reza Shokri, Iranian National Center for Oceanography, Tehran, Iran, mrshok@hotmail.com; Michel Claereboudt, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman, michelc@squ.edu.om 61
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Status of Coral Reefs of the World:
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FOREWORD Our two governments have r
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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 S
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INTRODUCTION We are pleased to endo
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Introduction Some of the larger fou
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Introduction Coral reefs are coming
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CLIVE WILKINSON A
Page 19 and 20: Executive Summary This report, howe
Page 21 and 22: Executive Summary GLOBAL AND REGION
Page 23 and 24: Executive Summary There is clear ev
Page 25 and 26: Executive Summary Key sites chosen
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Page 29 and 30: Executive Summary CORAL REEF TARGET
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Page 33 and 34: Executive Summary COLLAPSE OF CORAL
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Page 37 and 38: Executive Summary concern is an out
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7. STATUS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA CORAL R
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Status of Southeast Asia Coral Reef
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8. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN EAST AN
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Status of Coral Reefs in East and N
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9. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF AUSTRAL
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Status of Coral Reefs of Australasi
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10. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE SO
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Southw
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12. STATUS OF THE CORAL REEFS IN MI
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Status of the Coral Reefs in Micron
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13. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE HA
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Hawaii
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14. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE U.
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Status of Coral Reefs in the US Car
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15. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE NO
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16. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF MESOAM
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Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoameric
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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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#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

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