Recovered healthy coral reef ecological system after our conservation efforts in Jan 2009

The coast of Hepu in Guangxi province, China is full of coral reefs. The coast in Hepu county is one of the coral reef rich areas with the most diversified species of coral reefs in China. However, the ecological conditions have been worsening and the number and varieties of coral reefs have been declining in consequence in recent years. The main reasons threatening the growth of coral reef here include pollutants from artificial aquatics breeding, unsustainable fishing methods, etc.

Team members conducted underwater coral reef system monitoring in Jan 2009

Many local fishermen breed artificial pearls along the 18- kilometre-long coral reef distribution coast area and produce many wastes and pollutants from the artificial forage and disinfectants for breeding. These wastes and pollutants are harmful for the growth and survival of coral reefs. These fishermen also make stakes and pull nylon ropes around coral reefs to build pearl breeding farm. Since a lot of fishes inhabit in coral reefs, some fishermen can’t catch these fishes with their fishing nets, they even use fishing canons made by themselves to blast these fishes, many coral reefs are destroyed in consequence. All these unscientific human economic activities have done and are doing serious harms to the existing coral reefs along Hepu coast. The whole coral reel ecological system will be degraded further without immediate intervention measures.

With our comprehensive educational presentation and lectures, we will try to raise the public awareness of the necessity and urgency of changing the unsustainable fishing and pearl breeding practice into the sustainable fishing and breeding methods within the distribution area of the coral reefs along the Hepu coast. This is the greatest significance of this project will make.

In addition, we will help the local communities to establish the underwater ecological tourism industry that can bring both economical benefits and environmental benefits. With increased underwater tourism revenue from the beautiful and amazing coral reefs and their surrounding ecological system, we believe that local fisherman will abandon gradually their previous unsustainable methods of fishing and aquatic breeding, and replace the old method with environmentally friendly fishing and breeding methods. The whole local communities will also have a strong incentive to conserve the coral reefs and their surrounding in a sustainable way. Eventually, the Hepu coast will become a great place with sustainable conservation of coral reels and economic development.