The tropical coastlines of Southeast Asia boast some of the planet’s most significant and diverse marine ecosystems. Recent research by an international team has revealed that alongside being vital to local communities, fishing and tourism are also some of the most environmentally damaging activities in these regions.
Southeast Asia’s tropical coastlines are home to some of the world’s most important and diverse marine ecosystems.
Despite their importance, these ecosystems are particularly susceptible to damage, with coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds increasingly threatened by various human activities.
To gain a better understanding of these threats, a study conducted by an international group of researchers has provided an in-depth analysis of activities occurring within coastal and marine environments and their effects on these ecosystems.
The research focused on specific sites in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, including marine protected zones within UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserves and a Marine Park.
Out of 26 activities evaluated, the study identified certain fishing methods, as well as tourism and recreational activities, as the major threats to these ecosystems.
Fishing methods like trawling and the usage of gill and seine nets were linked to various physical damages, including abrasion, smothering, siltation, and even complete habitat loss.
On the other hand, tourism contributed to different types of pressures such as organic enrichment, litter accumulation, and pollution, particularly impacting coral reef habitats.
Given that fishing and tourism are vital to the region’s economy, researchers aim to highlight their potential environmental impacts at specific locations to promote more sustainable practices in the future.
The findings were published in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology, led by scholars from the University of Plymouth and involving various partners from Southeast Asia.
This research is part of Blue Communities, a £6.7 million initiative funded by the UK Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) in collaboration with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Dr. Fiona Culhane, who conducted the research during her Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Plymouth and is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Marine Institute in Ireland, is the lead author of the study.
She stated, “These locations are globally significant due to their high marine biodiversity, yet they face significant risks from human activities. Our collaboration with local communities and researchers in those countries has shown that different areas face varying levels of risk based on human activities. By better comprehending how these activities affect marine habitats and the ecosystem services they provide, we can equip local stakeholders and marine managers with valuable insights to guide future actions.”
Professor Melanie Austen, who serves as the Professor of Ocean and Society at the University of Plymouth and is at the helm of the Blue Communities programme, remarked, “This study exemplifies robust collaboration between researchers from the Global South and Global North. The objective of this research, and the entire programme, is to furnish essential analysis and information to help coastal communities thrive within the environmental limits of marine resources.”
The research also examined the significance and impact of other activities including waste disposal, sand mining, aquaculture, coastal infrastructure growth, and artifact exploration.
Additionally, the study mapped the extent to which each activity caused disruptions such as light, noise, and water pollution, as well as physical damage to the coast and seabed and their associated habitats.
Across the different nations, the activities causing the most pressure varied; for instance, seine nets in Vietnam, fish farming in Malaysia, and pots, traps, and barricades in the Philippines posed the highest risks.
Moreover, there were notable differences across major habitat types, where trawling and blast fishing posed significant risks to coral reefs, shrimp farming heavily affected mangroves, and both trawling and tourism represented the highest threats to seagrass.
Dr. Amy Y. Then, an Associate Professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences at the Universiti Malaya in Malaysia, commented, “The findings from this paper challenge existing approaches to managing multiple economic activities and their impacts on crucial coastal ecosystems. By uncovering the interactions between these activities and the habitats they affect, we can make more informed marine spatial management decisions for the sustainability and resilience of these socio-ecological systems.”
Dr. Radisti Praptiwi, a researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, added, “This study holds significant importance, particularly for regions lacking data such as Indonesia. Understanding the chains of impact linking activities and pressures to the marine environment can help prioritize which activities and habitats need management, highlighting also areas that require further research for evidence-based policymaking.”
