BANGUINGUI, Sulu, Philippines – The municipal government here has declared as a protected area some 50 hectares of coral reef off the coast of Barangay Kahikukuk under this town.
According to Mayor Abdulwahid Sahidulla, several varieties of shallow coral reefs and algae
can be found in the said protected area – making it an ideal sanctuary for deep sea species.
He said that at present, various species of fish measuring about three feet in length can be found in the deep portion of the sanctuary, while other sea creatures can also be seen at the shallow portion of the protected area.
“Anyone who visits the area would surely enjoy watching the various fish species around the area where corals and algae are located,” Sahidulla said.
He also said that security personnel had already been deployed in the protected area to make sure that fishermen would not disturb the fish sanctuary.
Sahidulla explained that the development of the site is aided by algae that are symbiotic with reef-building corals.
Coralline algae, sponges, and other organisms, combined with a number of cementation processes also contribute to reef growth, he said.
He added that the “dominant organisms are known as framework builders, because they provide the matrix for the growing reef. Corals and coralline algae precipitate calcium carbonate, whereas the framework-building sponges may also precipitate silica.”
Most of these organisms are colonial, and the slow process of precipitation moves the living surface layer of the reef upward and seaward, he said.
Sahidulla further explained that the reef is topographically complex like a rain forest, it has many strata and areas of strong shade, cast by the over-towering coral colonies.
Because of the complexity, thousands of species of fish and invertebrates live in association with reefs, which are by far our richest marine habitats, he said.
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