7 Thai Scuba Diving Sites to Remain Closed to Allow Bleached Coral to Recover

Last year, the Thailand National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department temporarily closed eighteen underwater sites in the Andaman Sea to allow the recovery of its coral reefs which had been affected by widespread bleaching.

The department has recently announced that seven of these scuba diving sites will remain closed for at least six months to help the fragile reef systems recover.

In November, 2011, eleven of the sites reopened to tourists taking scuba diving holidays and professional divers after inspections of the area were carried out and the corals were seen to be recovering well.

Credit to jsuw, on Flickr.

Coral bleaching occurs when stressed coral forces out the colourful algae which lives inside and nourishes the plant. This causes it to lose its colour and it then becomes vulnerable to damage. If the coral is unable to regain its algae it will starve and die.

The damage to the coral reefs on the east and west coasts of Thailand is said to be caused by the unusually high sea temperatures in 2010 caused by El Nino; excessive human activity near the reefs; and water pollution with sea temperatures that were approximately two degrees higher than normal in the affected areas.

The seven scuba diving sites will remain closed because the coral is still in a poor condition. The sites include Koh Hin Ngam, Hat Sai Khao, eastern Koh Dong, southern Koh Dong and Koh Ta Kieng at Tarutao Marine National Park in Satun province; Koh Chuek at Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang; and Hin Klang at Nopparat Tara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province.

Credit to Personal pictures, on Flickr.

The chief of the National Park Office, Vithya Hongviengchan, explained: "We will cap tourist numbers at each dive site, install rope lines to prevent diving at sensitive spots, and will ask operators of dive shops to strictly follow the rules."

Mr Nipon Pongsuwan, the acting director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, explained that young coral reefs had been discovered in some sites and the sea temperatures are not expected to rise in the Andaman Sea this year.

The corals are expected to fully recover within four years and the department will evaluate the diving sites every six months.

Thailand is one of the world's most exotic scuba diving destinations and it offers hundreds of diving sites and marine parks across more than 3,000 km of stunning coastline that boast colourful coral reefs and an array of diverse marine species.