The Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines is the richest marine region on Earth. It’s home to more than 600 species of reef-building coral and 3,000 species of reef fish. Its ecosystems provide food and income for more than 100 million people working in the region.

According to the new study, which was led by Johnathan Kool of James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, the health of the Coral Triangle depends on coral and fish larvae swept in from the South China Sea and Solomon Islands. ‘The currents go in various directions, but the prevailing direction is from east to west, and this carries coral spawn and fish larvae from areas such as around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and the Solomons and Papua New Guinea,’ he explained. ‘Maintaining the network of links between reefs allowing larvae to flow between them and restock depleted areas is key to saving coral ecosystems threatened by human pressure and climate change.’

Six nations within the Coral Triangle – Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and East Timor – are now working together to strengthen coral reef governance and management under an arrangement known as the Coral Triangle Initiative.

April 2011