Coron, Palawan – Vietnam and the Philippines will be the first ones to experience the negative ecological impacts of the ongoing construction at the West Philippine Sea.
National scientist Dr. Angel Alcala said this is because the reclamation work being conducted by China is centered on an area that serves as a breeding ground for fish and other marine species. As a result, the supply of marine products in the Philippines and Vietnam will be cut down in the long run.
Alcala, who spoke about the management and expansion of marine protected areas in the US embassy-sponsored seminar here said China seemed to have disregarded the ecological impacts of its activities at the West Philippine Sea.
Alcala said the Chinese facilities are constructed on corals with an atoll that has been serving as breeding ground for a variety of fish specie. In the past, adult fish from the area migrated to parts of Palawan and Luzon and in areas near Vietnam.
“Anything you do that affects the flow of sea water affects fisheries. What they do is take over areas where coral reefs are found,” Alcala told journalists attending the 5th US Embassy Seminar for Regional Media.
With the ongoing construction, fishes will not be able to move freely, Alcala said, damaging the biodiversity of the area.
MANILA BULLETIN
