Escoda Shoal’s corals almost 100% dead —UP scientists

The corals in Sabina Shoal, also known as Escoda Shoal, are now "almost 100% dead," scientists from the University of the Philippines (UP) said on Friday. 

In a press conference, UP Institute of Biology’s Jonathan Anticamara said they observed extensive coral bleaching after they conducted a marine scientific survey in the area. 

“Because we only have two days, we prioritized Sand Bar 1 and Sand Bar 3,” Anticamara said.

“What we found on the first day ay extensive na masyado 'yung bleaching to the extent that what we saw, that we documented across the area almost 100% na patay na 'yung mga corals,” he added.

(What we found on the first day is that the bleaching is very extensive to the extent that what we saw and documented across the area is the corals are almost 100% dead," he added.

The scientists also observed similar conditions on the second day of the survey. According to Anticamara, some of the dead corals are at the stage where they can no longer recover.

“I think if we were given time, I predict na majority or almost all of the shallow water ng Escoda Shoal are now dead ang mga corals given the trend,” he said.

“That is really an ecological disaster,” he added.

Anticamara said the only fishes left in the shoal are the species not dependent on coral reefs.

He said the death of the corals is probably due to the warming of the waters associated with climate change.

UP Marine Science Institute's Fernando Siringan said that China also conducted acoustic surveys on the area based on their observation.

“Certainly, may mga coral rubble doon sa area. Ito bale 'yung mga gravel bars na nakikita natin (Certainly, there is coral rubble in that area. These are the gravel bars we see),” he said.

“Whether it is fully natural or partially man-made, may mga kailangan pang i-combine na data sets to be able to say 'yung definite na conclusion doon sa part na 'yun,” he added.

(There are still data sets that need to be combined to be able to say the definite conclusion in that part.)

Last month, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported the dumping of crushed corals near the area. 

China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) also recently held military exercises there which was called out by the Philippine Navy.

Escoda Shoal, for the past few weeks, has been on the radar due to the increased Chinese presence and the escalating territorial dispute.

A tense faceoff between the coast guards of Philippines and China broke out in Escoda Shoal earlier this week after Chinese forces attempted to block a recent Philippine marine scientific research mission to the disputed reef. 

China claims the reef as part of its territory even though it is just 75 nautical miles off Palawan, well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.  —VAL/AOL, GMA Integrated News