Churna Island coral reefs depleting

WWF Pakistan says making the site a Marine Protected Area can stop damage

ISLAMABAD:

Churna Island is one of the scenic and unique adventure sports tourism attractions offering unforgettable experience of corals and underground water sports However, the depletion of precious exotic species of corals in effect of environmental and anthropogenic damages is causing the site serious eco[1]system degradation.

World Wildlife Foundation Pakistan Senior Technical Advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan says that the corals are one of the most productive ecosystems found thriving in scale at different coasts around the globe. But, as far as Pakistan is concerned the corals are found in limited and isolated patches around 990 kilometers long coastline extending from Sindh to Balochistan, he added.

According to Moazzam, corals were apparently healthy at Churna Island till an individual observed coral degradation at Mubarak Village in 2020.

Bleaching was observed in the north-eastern part of Churna Island during October 2020, said Moazzam, adding that there has been complete bleaching of Porites which has turned their color to white, indicating the death of corals.

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He said that it seemed like bleaching was spreading across Chuma Island, but there is no information and record of similar bleaching from other areas along the coast of Pakistan. Moazzam said coral reef is a complete ecosystem and was a dominating one found in Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia and other countries around the globe.

"Corals have a great significance due to ecotourism and its protection is necessary to ensure the marine life protection, sustainable growth of environment and preserving a flourishing source of employment through ecotourism," said Khan.

Elaborating the phenomenon of coral bleaching, he said negative environmental conditions, such as abnormally warm or cool temperatures, high light, and even some microbial diseases, can lead to the breakdown of the symbiosis, which is the relation between coral and algae (zooxanthellae).

He said that in such conditions, corals expel the algae living in their tissues, causing the change of coral's color to white.