Coral bleaching fears prompt calls to halt land reclamation
Major global coral bleaching events affected Maldives in 1998, 2016 and 2023.
A reef association has called on the government to suspend land reclamation activities due to the risk of coral bleaching in Maldives waters.
Maldives Resilient Reefs (MRR) said that NOAA Coral Reef Watch issued an alert two days ago. The group stated that conditions could worsen within the next 12 weeks and may reach alert level 1.
Land reclamation and development projects were suspended until 2024 due to rising sea temperatures and coral bleaching in Maldives reefs. Work was halted when the alert reached level 1.
MRR said action is required as conditions may worsen again. The association requested the following measures:
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Immediate suspension of sand extraction and dredging projects until ocean temperatures return to normal levels. Sand mining and land reclamation affect marine areas and add pressure on reefs during this period.
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Suspension of sand mining and beach maintenance activities by tourism operators.
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Government, institutions and tourism operators to avoid discharge of wastewater into the sea unless treated.
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The public to exercise care when using lagoon areas and nearby environments.
MRR stated that coral bleaching is linked to high ocean temperatures over several days. If temperatures return to normal, corals may recover their colour. If high temperatures continue, corals may die and reefs may be lost.
Major global coral bleaching events affected Maldives in 1998, 2016 and 2023.
