One Year On –Tsunami Effects, Maldives Reefs
Added to website: 23 December 2005
Marine biologists from the UK-based Marine Conservation Society (MCS) collaborating with the liveaboard dive operator Maldives Scuba Tours (MST) have found out that the coral reefs of the Maldives have been little affected by the tsunami wave of Boxing Day 2004.
The greatest impact observed during surveys (outlined in a report released today available from the MCS) occurred on the eastern facing atolls, Felidhe and South Male. Here, large structural damage was recorded in one or two channel entrances to the lagoons, reducing one channel reef in southern Felidhe reef to rubble. This site was the exception rather than the rule, with most other reefs of central atolls appearing unaffected by the wave.
The largest long-term impact on the Maldives reefs still appears to have been caused by the global bleaching event of 1998, which affected Indian Ocean reefs particularly badly. Some areas are recolonising corals quite effectively with colourful delicate Acropora and Pocillipora branching colonies dominating many shallow reef areas. However, the absence of large areas of reef building corals (those that provide the structural strength of coral reefs) at many popular Madlives dive sites is of concern.
What was also apparent from the surveys was the wonderfully abundant and diverse fish populations which are exceptional for coral reefs on a global scale. Groupers, snappers and sharks (from small whitetips to whalesharks) are easily encountered on reefs, and at some sites, divers have literally to wade through schools of jacks in order to see the dive site!
Thus, the Maldives remains a truly stunning location to visit, both for the abundance of fish life, stunning variety of dive sites, and exciting drift dives. MCS and MST will collaborate in 2006 to carrying on recording reef health in the Maldives as part of the global coral reef monitoring programme, Reef Check. You too can be involved by signing up to one of the Maldives Scuba Tours Marine Biology trips in 2006.
Contact:
Dr Jean-Luc Solandt
Biodiversity Policy Officer
Marine Conservation Society
Unit 3, Alton Rd
Ross on Wye HR9 5NB
Tel: 07793 118 387,
jls@mcsuk.org;
Mr Chris Wood
National Seasearch Coordinator
07776 142096
seasearch@f2s.net
Editors Notes:
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK Charity dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and its wildlife. Since its formation in 1983, MCS has become a recognised authority on marine and coastal conservation and is regularly consulted by Government for its views on a range of marine issues including fishing. MCS provides information and guidance on many aspects of marine conservation and produces the annual Good Beach Guide, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Adopt-a-Beach, Seasearch and Basking Shark Watch. MCS is a lead partner in the UK Government’s Basking Shark Species Action Plan. See www.mcsuk.org for more information.
Maldives Scuba Tours is a premier environmentally conscious dive operator, which continuously runs two liveaboard boats in the Maldives Islands. Maldives Scuba Tours has run coral reef naturalist courses with the Marine Conservation Society since 1994. Visit: www.scubscuba.com for information on the company, and its range of dive holidays.
The coral bleaching event of 1998 was the biggest single global disaster to hit coral reefs. Bleaching occurs on coral reefs when environmental conditions (in this circumstance, heat) become so extreme that the coral reefs release their symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), and are weakened as a result. In many circumstances corals can survive, but the bleaching event was so severe because of the length of time the hot water lay over the Maldives, many corals died down to 30m. Recovery of the reef (mainly borne through new baby coral recruits settling on the old dead reef) has been patchy, with some areas having high densities of 30 – 50cm Acropora colonies now growing on shallow reefs. Live structurally important but slower growing ‘reef-building’ corals such as Porites and Favia were unfortunately rare on the surveys, which is important for the long-term growth and rigidity of atolls.
