COTs collection undertaken in North Palawan

North Palawan—Collection of Crown-of-Thorns (COTs) starfish in El Nido and Linapacan sites were undertaken with communities and volunteers to help arrest the demise of reefs in the conservation sites.

Nearly 1,000 individuals were removed from corals situated within the marine protected areas of the municipalities.  The extraction activities were undertaken in partnership with the local governments, resort owners, community and MFI.

COTs (Acanthaster planci) is a spiny starfish that feeds on hard coral polyps and is capable of causing the demise of reefs at a rate of one one (1) square meter per day. Outbreaks globally is a result of the disappearance due to over-extraction of its primary predator the giant triton (Charonia tritonis).