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PIMRIS Regional Repository

A-B C D-E F G-J K L M N-O P-Q R S T U-Z

Ueantabo, K.

(1)

Report of a Blue coral survey conducted at Betio, 18th - 20th June 1990
Author(s): Kamatie, M., Arabua, I., Ueantabo, K., Tebaobao, T.
Publisher: Fisheries Division, Ministry of Natural Resources
Place: Tarawa (Kiribati)
Notes: The Fisheries division of the Ministry of Natural Resource development is mainly responsible with the conservation and proper management of renewal marine resources of the Republic of Kiribati. Included in these renewable resources is the blue coral which is currently harvested for export purpose by local skin divers
ASFA Keywords: Coral farming, Blue coral surveys, Fisheries development
Country Collection: Kiribati
Abstract: The survey for blue corals, Helipora coerules, which involved intensive scanning and Scuba diving, was carried out for three days. It was found that the estimated relative abundance of blue corals in terms of percentage per scanned area was fairly low in the area designated to coral divers (<10%), while the ocean side yields a higher estimate (>60%). It is therefore recommended that the harvesting of blue corals in this designated area should be totally banned. However pulse fishing by local coral skin divers could either be shifted to other nearby outer islands, or to mainly concentrate their coral harvest on the ocean side of Betio, where unexploited stock is currently abundant.