Coral Reefs Twice Size of Manila Destroyed

Black-coral colonies are thousands of small animals that grow slowly over centuries, in subtropical and tropical waters, at a rate of about one centimeter per month. The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora bans the harvesting of Antipatharia, which has 245 species in seven families. But coral taxonomy is lacking in detail. Confusion emerges with similar dark corals subject to harvest with permits. The exoskeletons are in demand, mostly polished for jewelry, and plenty of products are sold on the internet. With jewelry priced at thousands of dollars, poachers target the endangered reefs. The US is major importer; China, Taiwan, Cyprus and the Philippines are exporters. Philip Tubeza’s report for the Inquirer focuses on the Filipino interception of more than 20,000 pieces, illegally collected by an organized team, financed by exporters, from reefs that were described as “unexplored.” – YaleGlobal