Provides a detailed analysis of threats to coral reefs across Southeast Asia and provides an economic valuation of what will be lost if these threats – destructive fishing, overfishing, marine-based and inland pollution, coastal development – continue.

Bahasa Indonesia version: Terumbu Karang Yang Terancam di Asia Tenggara

People have coexisted with coral reef ecosystems in Southeast Asia for thousands of years. With more than 350 million people living within 50 km of the coast, coral reefs are important not only in local communities’ cultures, but are also critical to the economic health of these nations. Coral reef fisheries, in particular, are a vital source of food and employment. Fisheries dedicated to the live food fish trade, the ornamental trade, and local subsistence economies generate billions of dollars each year. The total annual net benefit of sustainable coral reef fisheries across Southeast Asia is estimated to be US$2.4 billion per year.

In addition to fisheries, coral reefs provide many other exceptionally valuable services. Their beauty draws millions of tourists from around the world each year. Corals themselves possess a yet untold value as biochemical material for pharmaceuticals and other products.

Despite their worth, coral reefs in Southeast Asia face unprecedented threat levels from human activities. The population explosion during the last 50 years is driving many of the current pressures and is creating elevated, often unsustainable demand on both the terrestrial and marine resources of the region. These pressures are jeopardizing the incredible value of coral reefs, whose loss would have significant economic impacts for the region.

The most prevalent threat to coral reefs in Southeast Asia is overexploitation. Rapid population growth has vastly increased fishing pressure on reefs across the region. Because most fishers have no other sources of income, they have no incentive to leave the industry or reduce fishing pressure. In addition, the enticing profits to be made in the live reef food fish and aquarium trades have led to both widespread species overfishing by local and foreign vessels and to the proliferation of destructive fishing techniques. Practices like blast and poison fishing not only destroy the natural resource base for future fishing, but they also are detrimental across the ecosystem. Yet, even without these destructive methods, current fishing levels and methods are unsustainable in most areas. If fishing in Southeast Asia is not reduced to more sustainable levels, both coral reefs and food security will be further imperiled.

High levels of development and land-use changes in the last 20 years have also been major threats to coral reefs in the region. Massive deforestation and the construction of roads, airports, channels, ports, and buildings, including tourist resorts, have substantially increased sediment and nutrient loads in coastal areas. Increased sediments can smother corals, and added nutrients can cause the coral to become overgrown with algae. A major challenge for the region in the coming years will be to restrict growth or manage development in ecologically sensitive areas before further degradation occurs.

The cumulative threats of overexploitation, land-use changes, pollution, and coastal development, coupled with the effects of global climate change, foretell an uncertain future for Southeast Asia’s coral reefs. Despite widespread recognition that coral reefs are severely threatened, information regarding particular threats to specific reef areas is limited. Only a small percentage of reefs have ever been studied, and an even smaller number have been monitored over time using consistent methods. In addition, these data are rarely consolidated in a central repository where copies would be widely accessible.

This lack of information inhibits effective decisionmaking concerning coastal resources. The Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia (RRSEA) project was designed to address this information deficiency through an extensive data compilation and improvement effort. Understanding which human activities negatively impact which reefs is key to future conservation and planning efforts. The goal of the RRSEA project is to raise awareness about threats to coral reefs and provide resource managers with specific information and tools to manage coastal habitats in Southeast Asia more effectively.

Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia Data CD

The Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia (RRSEA) Data CD contains the range of data assembled and model results developed under the RRSEA project. Included on this CD are over fifty spatial data sets reflecting physical, environmental and socioeconomic variables for Southeast Asia as well as the results of the modeling of human pressure on coral reefs for the region. The CD also provides full technical notes on the threat modeling method and the Reefs at Risk report in .PDF format.

Spatial data sets are best viewed using ESRI ArcView software, but can also be viewed using ESRI ArcExplorer, a public domain software provided on this CD.