Coral death on HD/HM????

[Christian]

I'm getting reports from Thailand about a strange phenomena with reddish algae blooms and very low visibility around Hin Mouang, Hin Daeng, the southern Phi Phi sites and to some extent on Anemone and Shark reef. One reporter claim that most of Hin Mouang and big parts of Hin Daeng seem to be dying?

Does anyone have more information about this?

/christian

 

[nondive]

Yeah i also heard this news on thaidive webboard. Local diver in Koh Lanta said a quater half of reef turns gray no fishs swim around that zone, some baracudas move to find new home. Probably chemical causes or human activities i have no idea. If nothing sort out or fix. I am afraid we might lose one of our worth and value underwater world no sooner.

 

[nondive]

i really dont know what is the matter of fact.

 

[Christian]

I just saw a photo taken by a DM on Lanta Diver on Hin Mouang - the site which is hit the hardest. Aparently the hard coral seem to be more or less ok, but the soft coral seem to be dead all over the reef. He said "it just hangs down the reefs sides or come lose from the reef".

Truly sad. This was one of the best dive sites in the Indian Ocean.

/christian

 

[MoonWrasse]

There's a recent thread about dynamite fishing there - I suspect it's not but the recent ride tide reported.

 

[nikyyo]

I dived there two years ago. They were some of the most beautiful reefs I've ever seen. Hin Muang had gorgeous purple soft coral fields. I sure hope some of the posters who have dive businesses there will chime in with any info they may have.

 

[stevenl]

See this article in the Phuket Gazette.
At the moment I think it is a temporary condition, don't think the reefs are dying.

 

[Christian]

I guess it can be described as temporary, even if the soft coral is dead. It will probably grow back - eventually.

/c

 

[Christian]

Heres the pic from HM:

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/328720070317125133.jpg

Latest report on Hin Moang from Lanta Divers after dives today. I made a quick translation from a swedish diveweb:

"Situation seem to have stabilized. The reef is more or less as usual between 50 and 30 metres. Slightly warmer in the water than normal. Between 30 metres an 18-15, a lot of dead soft coral and sea stars, besides that it seems ok. Less fish than normal, but clearly more than a few days ago. Fish seem to behave normal and not "suffocating" like before. The reef seem to be devoid of small reef life like shrimps etc. from 30 metres to surface. Very variable viz. from gin clear to a only a few metres. Every now and then red and white 'clouds' with bad viz as a result. Samples has been taken from water and dead corals. Finally shark sightings, presumably silvertip (Carcharias Albimarginatus, *MY NOTE) which is a sign of 'reef clean up'."

/christian

 

[MoonWrasse]

Nasty looking photo, looks like someone barfed on the corals.