TACLOBAN CITY — At least 1,300 crown-of-thorns starfish were removed from a reef area off Barangay Himay-angan in Liloan, Southern Leyte, in a joint marine conservation effort led by the Philippine Coast Guard and local divers.
The large-scale injection and extraction activity, held on Feb.28, was carried out under the PCG’s iCare Program, a campaign focused on protecting and rehabilitating coastal and marine ecosystems.
Taking part in the operation were personnel from Coast Guard Sub-Station Maasin, the Marine Environmental Protection and Response Unit–Southern Leyte (MEPERU-SL), the Coast Guard K9 Team in Liloan, and Field Station Southern. They were assisted by the “Dap-ag” Boys, a group of local divers from Liloan, and members of Lukas Dive.
The team covered about 400 square meters of reef during the activity. Of the total removed, around 500 crown-of-thorns were neutralized through injection, while approximately 800 were manually extracted.
The crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeds on live coral tissue and is considered among the most destructive threats to coral reef ecosystems when its population surges.
Authorities warned that unchecked outbreaks can quickly strip reefs of living coral, leading to reduced marine biodiversity and declining fish populations—an impact that could hurt coastal communities reliant on fishing and tourism.
Marine experts underscored the importance of proactive removal efforts, particularly in biodiversity-rich areas such as Southern Leyte, which is known for its dive sites and marine resources.
The PCG said the intervention was necessary to prevent a potential outbreak and preserve the ecological balance in the area. It also reiterated its commitment to environmental protection and urged coastal communities and other stakeholders to remain vigilant and take part in conservation initiatives to safeguard the province’s marine ecosystems.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
