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Coral reefs along the coest of Sabah are relatively undisturbed as cornpared Lo other
parts of the country, though records exist of large-scale mining in the f950's (Chua and
Pathansali, L977). After detailed work in this area, E. Wood (1979) reports a range of reef
conditions for the different islands. Tfese are presented in Table l. C. Wood (1979) found
greater numbers and a larger variety of coral-feeding chaetodontids on the east coast of
Sabah, as opposed to the west coasL. Chaetodontide are believed to be useful as indicators of
Lhe relative health of reefs. The greatest numbers and diversiLy were found at the offshore
sites, sgch m Pulau Mengalum and Pulau Sipadan, off the wesL and southeasLern coasts'
respecti vely.
Gualita[ive descriptions are available for the Semporna islands, situated east of the
Semporna peninsula, at lhe Borneo end of the Sulu Archipelago (E. Wmd, f98f). These
constitute a currently proposed marine park area. Reef development here is believed to be
more extensive than in other areas around Sabah, with diversity and coral cover registering
relatively high values. Sane damage, however, was found to occur in the shallower areas.
Philippines
Data an [he status of Philippines reefs as of 1982 are presented in Table 2. Out of a
total of 512 stations surveyed to date, mly 5.5% were found Lo be in excellent condition.
Good reefs constituted a larger fracLion of 24%, but the nnjority still fell under the fair and
poor brackets, comprising )8.1% and f2.I% respectively. Thus it may be seen that reef
resources for the country as a whole do not at all present a bright picturer and may be
considered as relatively stressed or disturbed.
Sinqapore
No other publications are known of, aside from those compiled by Gomez (1980), that
specifically deal on Lhe assessrrEnl of reefs around Singapore, m either a quantitative or
qualitative basis. Coral reef arees in Singapore are relatively few, and are mostly located
around certain offshore islands (De Silva, I98l). A descriptive account of a fringinq reef at
Tanjong Teritip m the southwest coast is provided by Lee (1956). This reef is located in a
relativily sheltened portlon of the coast, and at the time of writing was found [o be
extensive and fairly undisturbed. This reef has apparently been adversely affected by
developmen[ since that account.
Theiland
Studies m the conditions of reefs in Thailand are
the extent of reefs in certain localities in the Pattaya
and are here presented as follows:
lgland
Ko Lan
Ko Krok
Ko Sak
limited (Sudara, f98f). Estimates of
zone are provided by Ludwig (1975)'
Extent of coral (m2)
260,m0
r]r000
71,000
tn addition, the following islands m the southwest coast in the Andaman Sea have been
identified as having significant neef developnent (Ludwig, 1976): in Ranong Province - Ko Sin
Hai, Ko Lam, Ko Pha Yam, Mu Ko Kam Noi and Mu Ko Kam Yai; in Phuket and Phangnga
Bay - Rawai Beach, Ko Bm, Ko Hi, Ko Lan, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Mai Phair Ko Khair Ko Ba Dat
Ko Ya Wa and Ko Kao Bulo; in Krabi province - Ko Hai and Ko Po; in Trang - Ko Mukr Ko
Kradan and Ko Libmg; and in Satun - Ko Tarutao.
Sudara (1981), working on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand' provides general
qualitative assessrnents of coral communities he encountered while doing a sllrvey from north
to south. Coral growth in different places was described as ranging from 'rnot very healthy"
to very good depending m degree of exposure, as well as.influence from natural and human
causes oi destruction. Islands in the Andaman Sea off the coas! of the Burma border were
found to harbouc reefs in very good condition (Sudara, I98f). Likewise, nnny offshore islands
south of Phuket appeared to be characterized by very good reefs.