Status of Coral Reefs in South-East Asia

Between 2004 and 2008, the condition of coral reefs improved in Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore but declined in Indonesia and Malaysia (however, many reefs were not assessed). Coral reef status in Cambodia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste (p. 176) is largely unknown, there is no new information from Brunei, but little change is expected. Timor-Leste is included for the first time as the tenth Southeast Asian coral reef country. Coral reef area estimates of just under 100 000 km super(2) for the region are probably a gross overestimate; recent GIS analysis in Thailand and Singapore shows reef area is approximately 10 times lower, possibly because non-reef sea areas were previously included. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused localized coral reef damage in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Post-tsunami assessments indicate there was severe localised damage in a few areas, and minimal damage on most reefs. Recovery from the tsunami is expected to take 5-10 years for most affected reefs, and 20 years for severely damaged reefs. Fish stocks in the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea assessed under the UNEP/GEF South China Sea Project indicate that most stocks are under high fishing effort, with most target species considered fully fished or over-fished. Losses of seagrass habitats are estimated at 30-60% in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore; but largely un-assessed in other SEA countries. More than 50% of the region's mangroves have been lost, with 10% of the losses occurring between 1993 and 2003;