Southeast Asia
291
Protected areas with coral reefs
^ Site name
Vietnam
Cat Ba
Con Dao
Ha Long Bay
China
Kat
Chau
Shan Hu Jiao
Designation
ms!-:..
-
j^
National Parl<
National Park
World Heritage Site
Special Area
Nature Reserve
Abbreviation
lUCN cat.
Size ikm'i
Year
NP
NP
SpA
NR
IV
152.00
150.43
1 500.00
0.24
85.Q0
1986
1982
1994
1979
1990
percent and 30-40 percent respectively by 1990. while many
species had disappeared. Similarly important and diverse
communities have also been reported off the islets in
Yalong Bay just southeast of Sanya. The principal threats
include coral mining for construction, blast fishing and the
collection of corals for handicrafts. There are now reported
to be efforts to protect and manage these reefs.
A number of coral communities have been described
off the coastline of Hong Kong. These do not form true
reefs, and are likely to be mirrored by similar communities in other areas along this coast. They are all
undoubtedly threatened by pollution, sedimentation and
overfishing on this heavily populated coastline.
China claims a large number of reefs and coral
islands scattered across the South China Sea, including all
of the Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands off Vietnam, and
the Tung-Sha reefs towards Taiwan. As sovereignty over
these areas is disputed they are dealt with separately.
Left: The Moorish idol Zanclus cornutus is widespread on coral reefs across the indo-Pacific and feeds primarily on
sponges. Right: Mangroves like these were decimated during the Vietnam war, but large areas have now been replanted.