Bleaching and secondary threats on the corals of Palk Bay: A survey and Proactive conservation needs

Abstract

A survey on bleaching and the secondary threats on bleached corals in the selected sites of Palk-Bay were conducted during May and June 2010. Massive corals represented by the genera <i style="">Porites, Goniopora, Favia</i> were bleached extensively. Significant portion of the surface of live corals were found dead. Coral recovery after bleaching was at a great risk due to the algal overgrowth and sedimentation which would lead to their death and permanent loss. Destruction of the slow growing corals by natural and altered environmental conditions warrant the proactive conservation approach guided by scientific principles. Current conservation methods in India offers physical protection to corals by entry restriction and a ban on collection of corals under wild life act. This is inadequate as they could not prevent secondary stressors taking toll on corals during environmentally induced stress conditions.