ARCP2011-06FP-Carter Water and coral reef quality in the east Gulf of Thailand RW (Bill) Carter 1 , Kath Kelly, Neil Tindale, Harriot Beazley, Suchai Worachananant and Pasinee Worachananant 1 Corresponding Author University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia Email: [email protected]Abstract: Knowledge of the status of coral reefs in the east Gulf of Thailand is incomplete, along with trends in fishery take and the status and influence of water quality on reef productivity. Available evidence suggests declining quality of reefs, unsustainable fisheries and increased anthropogenic impacts on water quality, which cascades through trophic levels resulting in reef degradation. This paper reports the rationale for amassing both scientific and community data and understandings as input to integrated marine resource management. The research process seeks to engage policy makers and communities in clarifying reef status and threats, and provide impetus to discussions of transnational management of coral reefs and the threats across Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Keywords: coral reef status, water quality, experiential knowledge, east Gulf of Thailand, transnational management 1
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ARCP2011-06FP-Carter
Water and coral reef quality in the east Gulf of Thailand
RW (Bill) Carter1, Kath Kelly, Neil Tindale, Harriot Beazley, Suchai Worachananant and Pasinee Worachananant 1Corresponding Author University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland AustraliaEmail: [email protected]
Abstract: Knowledge of the status of coral reefs in the east Gulf of Thailand is incomplete, along with trends in fishery take and the status and influence of water quality on reef productivity. Available evidence suggests declining quality of reefs, unsustainable fisheries and increased anthropogenic impacts on water quality, which cascades through trophic levels resulting in reef degradation. This paper reports the rationale for amassing both scientific and community data and understandings as input to integrated marine resource management. The research process seeks to engage policy makers and communities in clarifying reef status and threats, and provide impetus to discussions of transnational management of coral reefs and the threats across Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Keywords: coral reef status, water quality, experiential knowledge, east Gulf of Thailand, transnational management
Coral reef status and threats in the east Gulf of Thailand
The coastal waters of the eastern Gulf of Thailand (Trat Province, Thailand to Kien Giang Province, Viet Nam1) include over 200 islands, ranging in size from small rocky outcrops to Phu Quoc island, Viet Nam (57,400ha.)2. Fishing communities/families inhabit many of the larger islands, and some include low-key tourist facilities as well as luxury accommodation. Almost all of the islands are surrounded by fringing coral reefs with occasional offshore patch reefs. The health of the coral reefs is reported to be generally poor, with low species diversity with the average live coral cover for the whole coastline being 23% to 58% (see Rizvi & Singer 2011). Most corals are of the robust massive or encrusting life forms. Porites, Diploastrea and Heliopora species dominate, and the lack of more sensitive life forms possibly 1 Trat Province, Thailand has around 184km of coastline, Cambodia, 435km, and Kien Giang Province, Viet Nam, 200km.2 Ko Chang (42,900ha.) is the third largest island in Thailand, while the off-shore island of Koh Rong (7,800 ha.) is the second largest to the inshore island of Koh Kong in Cambodia.
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indicates the effects of sedimentation. Tabulate and branching life forms, important for many juvenile fish species, are rarely observed (van-Bochove et al. 2012). Thus, many reef areas are dominated by dead coral and under continuing degrading pressures, although quality reefs do exist, largely away from the coast and around the smaller islands. However, the status of these reefs has not been assessed.
Threats
The major threats to the reefs are from direct attrition of the biota from destructive and over-fishing as well as diving (see Worachananant et al. 2008), and the less direct, but more impacting effects of coastal development, pollution and sedimentation (van-Bochove et al. 2011). Coral reefs in the Gulf of Thailand are adapted to wet-season high turbidity levels; however, the additional sediment and pollutant loads from rivers, the result of poor up-stream land management, increase light attenuation; a major limitation for reef growth. In addition, nutrients in untreated sewage in marine outfalls from domestic and tourism development adds to the pressure on corals into the dry season, when tourist visitation is highest (see Reopanichkul et al. 2010; Reopanichkul et al. 2009).
Protected areas
Few marine national parks have been established to protect the coral reefs, although a number of proposals exist (e.g., van-Bochove et al. 2012). In most cases, a multiple use zoning approach has been proposed. The marine national parks that do exist in the three countries have all been assessed as having medium management effectiveness (UNEP 2008). The dynamics of marine systems do not reflect national boundaries; neither does anthropogenic activity that impacts the reefs. The east Gulf of Thailand is an integrated system that requires a holistic and adaptive management approach that extends beyond national boundaries.
Best knowledge and towards a co-management model
In the absence of complete scientific knowledge, multiple lines of evidence, including community experiential knowledge, are needed to inform management decisions. This knowledge, which can be longitudinal, may be the best available for application to adaptive management of marine areas. The process of acquisition also represents an opportunity to engage stakeholders and foster greater community stewardship for marine resource management (see Carter & Ross 2012).
The research
Project objectives
This project seeks to:
(a) build on the existing scientific understanding of coral reef status in the east Gulf of Thailand;
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(b) complement these data with local community knowledge;
(c) clarify the influence of anthropogenic causes of marine pollution and fishing practices;
(d) encourage community reflection on their role in contributing to (declining) water and reef quality; and
(e) define a more integrative approach to the management of marine resources that crosses national boundaries (Figure 1).
Water quality, reef and fishery status
(secondary quantitative data)
Coral reef status(data analysis & comparisons)
Fresh water quality(primary quantitative data)
Community perception of status and quality
(primary qualitative data)
Community concern for status and quality
(primary qualitative data)
Community capacity to adapt(primary qualitative data
and analysis)
Anthropogenic threats
(data analysis)
Policy options(Analysis and review)
Biosphere Reserve option
Marine water quality(primary quantitative data)
Figure 1. Research elements and their contribution to policy options
Relevance to the APN’s science and policy agendas
Goals: The research brings together academics, resource managers and government officers from three ASEAN countries with the common problem of sustainable management of the coastal zone. A tri-national Biosphere Reserve vision will be promulgated through the project.
Science agenda: The research touches on all APN themes, but particularly the biodiversity (Theme 2) and resource utilisation (Theme 4) themes; it is interdisciplinary and involves capacity building, and close engagement with policy makers.
Policy process: The research builds on existing links of the team with policy makers in (a) Cambodia and Thailand via the Ministries of Tourism and Environment and the coastal provincial governors, and (b) Vietnam via Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve.
Work undertaken
Literature review and collection of fishery data have commenced, along with preparation of research protocols for the first round of data collection in February-March 2013.
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References
Carter, R. W., and H. Ross. 2012. Are we ready to embrace stewardship? Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 19:207-212.
Reopanichkul, P., R. W. Carter, C. J. Crossland, and S. Worachananant. 2010. Wastewater discharge degrades coastal waters and reef communities. Marine Environmental Research 69:287-296.
Reopanichkul, P., T. Schlacher, R. W. Carter, and S. Worachananant. 2009. Sewage impacts coral reefs at multiple levels of ecological organization. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58:1356-1362.
Rizvi, A., and U. Singer. 2011. Cambodia Coastal Situation Analysis. Page 58. Building Resilience to Climate Change Impacts, Coastal Southeast Asia no. 6. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Gland, Switzerland.
UNEP. 2008. Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea. UNEP/GEF/SCS Technical Publication No. 16, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, Global Environment Facility (GEF), South China Sea (SCS) Project.
van-Bochove, J. W., N. Ioannou, M. McVee, and P. Raines. 2011. Evaluating the status of Cambodia’s coral reefs through baseline surveys and scientific monitoring. Cambodian Journal of Natural History 2 114-121.
van-Bochove, J. W., K. Longhurst, and A. Ferguson. 2012. Initial scientific findings to support the designation of a MPA around Koh Rong Isl., Cambodia. Report to the Fisheries Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. available at http://www.coralcay.org/science-research/scientific-reports/. Cambodia Coral Reef Conservation Project, Coral Cay Conservation, Puttenham, Surrey, UK.
Worachananant, S., R. W. Carter, M. Hockings, and P. Reopanichkul. 2008. Managing the impacts of SCUBA divers on Thailand’s coral reefs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16:645-663.
Project Title Coral reef and water quality status and community understanding of threats in the eastern Gulf of Thailand
Project Duration 2-years
APN Funding $60,000
Project Leader Associate Professor RW (Bill) Carter
Full address Sustainability Research CentreUniversity of the Sunshine CoastMaroochydore, DC, Qld, 4558Australia
