Crown of Thorns Sea Star!

[Gen San Chris]

Here in Sarangani Bay and beyond the Crown of Thorns are on the rampage, Me and John got about 60 the other day on a quick dive to check some domes! We contacted the Sarangani People and they said that they are preparing to get them but the budget for the food has not been approved yet! Thats the problem here, nobody who should be taking action does anything because of pathetic excuses like that! Such money, if paid to local people would see an end to the problem immediatly instead of waiting and letting the beasts eat their way through the reefs!
We have found that an easy way to get C of T's is to carry about a 2 meter length of Tuna Fishing Line weth you, punch a small hole through the beast and thred them on like a knecklace, this keeps them together, if you use a basket they can move about and sting you but on a line you have control! Do not hawever get more than 20 or they can be too heave to lift onto the boat! Using Tuna Line is easy as you can carry it in your pocket and always be ready to get them!

 

[josh]

cool! which site is that josh?

The Hill, on the sandy patch.

Alma Jane this morning, which was Ok. Came off and headed into the bay, and at one point we were taking photos of a nudibranch (nice one) to realize less than a foot away was an ornate ghost pipe fish. Were just reorientating onto that when a sea snake decided to stop and have a rest 2 feet away. Talk about indicision!!!

Anyway, back to the Hill in 30 mins....tough job but some one has to do it I suppose.....

 

[Babydamulag]

You guys have all of the great ideas! Now I have another project to work on....COTS poker with line! Thanks guys!

Here in Sarangani Bay and beyond the Crown of Thorns are on the rampage, Me and John got about 60 the other day on a quick dive to check some domes! We contacted the Sarangani People and they said that they are preparing to get them but the budget for the food has not been approved yet! Thats the problem here, nobody who should be taking action does anything because of pathetic excuses like that! Such money, if paid to local people would see an end to the problem immediatly instead of waiting and letting the beasts eat their way through the reefs!
We have found that an easy way to get C of T's is to carry about a 2 meter length of Tuna Fishing Line weth you, punch a small hole through the beast and thred them on like a knecklace, this keeps them together, if you use a basket they can move about and sting you but on a line you have control! Do not hawever get more than 20 or they can be too heave to lift onto the boat! Using Tuna Line is easy as you can carry it in your pocket and always be ready to get them!

 

[Hammerhead]

Indeed, a possibility. Have re-read with fresh eyes, and indeed, I may have mis-interpreted the "we" in the first sentence.

If I have, my apologies to the poster.

I blame it on the cold water here in PG. Four dives a day in 25C water must be shrivilling my brain.

On the plus side, one one dive today we had tiny frog fish, seahorses, pigmy cuttlefish, robusts, nudibranchs galore, mantis crabs, and other "common or garden" stuff (morays, scorpionfish etc hahaha)....

Josh, do you work with Alli and Pete?

If so,

1. You're lying about the no. of dives you've done

and

2. I'll see you Saturday

 

[Babydamulag]

Josh...from Asia Divers.....ah ha....I didn't figure it out until just now....
Yeah, he's lying...LOLOLOL

 

[josh]

Josh...from Asia Divers.....ah ha....I didn't figure it out until just now....
Yeah, he's lying...LOLOLOL

Sorry guys, but you are barking up the wrong tree, for whatever reason. I am on holiday here, and am based in Thailand. I am not a career Instructor, nor do I make my living in the dive profession.

 

[World Wide Diver]

There is conclusive evidence that cot outbreaks are linked to water run-off from the land in agricultural areas where nitrate based fertilisers and pesticides are used.

Please see;

New model links starfish scourge to run-off
CSIRO PUBLISHING - Marine & Freshwater Research

In Southern Mindanao, there is little/nothing done to prevent water run-off from agriculture from entering rivers and water courses that flow into the sea (banks are built in some countries in an effort to prevent run-off from the land entering the sea/water sources, or wide strips of land on both sides of rivers and streams are kept with natural vegetative cover, planted with trees and marked as permanent forest). There is intensive agriculture in this area - Mindanao is the 'fruit basket' of the Philippines and produces a high % (2/3 or more) of fruit and vegetables for domestic consumption and export.

According to a very recent 14 month study conducted by the Interface Development Interventions Inc., together with the Ateneo de Davao University, the Davao City Water District (DCWD), and other environmental non-government organizations (NGOs), two of the watershed areas in Davao City were found positive of pesticides in both water and sediment run off.

The samples (from 10 sampling stations) , showed that pesticides/chemicals used on crops within the watershed areas do end up in water and sediments, especially after a heavy downpours (we have plenty here). This included one spring used to supply drinking water.

13 pesticides were detected during the study, six of which are banned chemicals belonging to the organochlorine classification identified as DDT, endrin ketone, dieldrin, aldrin, heptachlor, and gamma chlordane. Except for heptachlor, the others were found in sediment samples, some at levels higher than the approved regulatory limit imposed by the United States Environment Protection Agency.

Agricultural organochlorine pesticides are considered to be a contributing factor in population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. These compunds also suppress the photosynthetic activity of reef corals - in effect 'choking' coral reefs.

For these reasons, the use of these chamicals have been banned in many countires for a long time. For example Samoa has banned their use since 1982.

IMO, if this important issue was properly addressed here and elsewhere, then humans and marine life would be far healthier as a result.

Note: Southern Mindanao has a fairly even tropical climate with rainfall evenly distributed over the year; we see cot outbreaks throughout the year - rather than seasonally in areas that experience distinct dry and wet seasons.

 

[Gen San Chris]

Thats interesting to know! So whats the next step, we cannot stop the use of chemicals as they have already been produced in develloped countries and sold here so I believe that the only way left to us to prevent outbreak of Crown of Thorns in the future is very simple: Stop the rain!

 

[shugar]

they are the Borg collective in disguise...

so you mean cots are dir?

Jag

 

[CODMAN]

so you mean cots are dir?

Jag

Then I'm definetly pro-extermination!!!!

Just kidding!