Southern Leyte News

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Goodbye aqua-tourism
By ANTONIO M. REYES

The recent revelation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Justerie Ganali that the population of the Crown of Thorns has increased dramatically and that they were now feasting on the live coral reefs around Limasawa is cause for grave concern.

The municipal mayors of Sogod Bay towns must therefore respond to his call for assistance ASAP or we will lose the world famous dive sites there which are our greatest tourist attraction - aside from our women of course.

He said Limasawa must be given top priority because there were an estimated 1,397 Crown of Thorns Star fish in every 500 square meters of coral reefs there, and that 90 percent were sexually mature, and can give birth to hundreds of thousands of starfishes.

The destruction of our coral reefs would also dramatically affect our fish production for according to SLSU President Gloria Markines Reyes every square kilometer of coral reefs can yield from 25 to 30 tons of marine life.

Since we have not been able to control the Crown of Thorn infestation, we are requesting our Provincial Board, to declare a State of Calamity so we can avail of the expertise and finances of the national government.

This latest assault on our beloved province means we are in a state of war. And our enemy is a tiny airborne insect called the Hispine beetle which has demolished 30 percent of our coconut trees.

And now we are under attack from the sea, by a starfish called the Crown of thorns, which although is the second largest starfish in the world is still tiny in comparison with human beings.

What's pathetic about our situation is that we're losing both wars but are so apathetic - we couldn't care less.