City Mayor Pablo C. Ortega and Councilor Joseph Bernard Valero went snorkeling to inspect and haul crown-of-thorns starfish at the 30-hectare Kasay Marine Sanctuary the other recently.
Mayor Ortega found that the fish sanctuary is infested with starfish and immediately ordered the immediate removal of the predator to prevent further destruction of the corals.
A group of divers who are residents of the area volunteered and helped eradicate the said species.
Crown-of-thorns starfish can live for months without eating. However, once they start eating, they can eat up destroy to 6 square meters or about 60 square feet of corals a year.
Studies estimate that a third of the reefs, which make up a quarter of approximately 100,000 square kilometers of coral reefs in Southeast Asia, are dead and another 40 percent are dying. It takes up to 15 years for the reefs to recover.
With this, the City Government of San Fernando in coordination with Mr. Valmar Valdez-CENRO Officer, Ms. Eduvijes Flores-OIC City Agriculturist and Mr. Vicente Alhambra, Jr.-Information Officer fully supports the activity.
As part of the inspection, Mayor Ortega initiated did coastal cleaning by collecting pieces of residual garbage underwater. |
