Junz
KOTA KINABALU: Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong said the extermination of Crown-Of-Thorns (COT) Starfish or scientifically known as Acanthaster planci, would be continued until its population reached a controllable level.
He was commenting on the COT recent outbreak in Semporna waters, particularly on Mabul and Siamil islands.
“COT outbreak contributes to high destruction of corals,” Junz explained.
Even though COT is a component of the marine ecosystem, if its population exceeds more than 30 per hectare, it is already considered an outbreak.
At this situation, the coral ecosystem will be destroyed because COT attacks the branching coral species (Arcropora spp) as its food sources.
COT population will develop very fast and overwhelm the coral reef population in a very short time.
“Literally, COT eats up the corals especially the branching species,” Junz said.
During the recent outbreak, extermination programme was undertaken by the joined forces of Scuba Junkee, WWF, resort operators and the Department of Fisheries, Sabah.
“Extermination is carried out manually by clipping or hooking. And recently a total of 5,078 COTs have been destroyed,” Junz said.