TMO says Chinese fishing vessel caused greater damage on Tubbataha Reef

From the Philippine News Agency (May 3): TMO says Chinese fishing vessel caused greater damage on Tubbataha Reef

The Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) on Friday announced that the Chinese fishing vessel, F/V Ming Long Yu which ran aground at the maritime sanctuary last April 8, caused much bigger damage than the USS Guardian.

This was the assessment of the team of scientists sent to inspect the damage, the TMO stated.

It added that Chinese vessel destroyed 3,902 square meters of corals - including some massive corals 500 years old - 66 percent larger than the 2,345.67 square meters damaged by the USS Guardian when it ran aground last Jan. 17.

"The damage the Chinese vessel caused to the reef is heart-breaking. Some of the massive corals that were pulverized are estimated to be about 500 years old," TMO head Angelique Songco said.

The USS Guardian measured 224 feet by 39 feet while the Chinese fishing vessel measured 48 meters long and eight meters wide.

Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan of De La Salle University (DLSU) led the team that conducted the assessment from April 23 to 30.

Joining him were marine biologists Miledel Christine Quibilan, Eznairah Jeung Narida and Renmar Martinez from the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute and Norievel España of DLSU.

Also with the team were the Automated Rapid Reef Assessment System team (Philippine Department of Science and Technology) team, World Wildlife Fund-Philippines, Tubbataha Management Office and marine park rangers.

The TMO said the damage extended from the original location of the F/V Min Long Yu when it ran aground on April 8, since big waves caused the vessel to move from its original position before it was pulled off the reef last April 19.

"It bulldozed through vibrant coral reefs leaving a highway of destruction in its wake," the TMO said.

The team measured the grounding site using two methods – aerial photography and boundary mapping using Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS).

For aerial photography, the team used a GoPro camera attached to a kite.

Images taken over the area were georectified to determine the size of the damaged area.

In DGPS, marine ecologist divers and a snorkeler were deployed and placed tags to establish the perimeter of the damaged area.

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