Coastal habitats (mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds) of the ASEAN region: Status, utilization and management issues

The ASEAN region is one of the mega-biodiversity centres of the world, containing a significant portion of the world's mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass meadows. In addition to their protective roles as storm and erosion barriers, these coastal habitats play vital ecological roles such as spawning and nursery areas for marine animals, including fishes and prawns. These habitats and their products have been over-exploited by coastal human populations in recent decades. Anthropogenic impacts have seen the removal of 50% of ASEAN mangroves in the last 50 years. Coral reefs show a steady decline in live coral cover over the last 15 years, with <20% having live coral cover of >75%. Seagrass meadows are also rapidly declining, with losses of 30%-50%. Ineffective management systems prevail in the region. While rapid population and economic growth exacerbate resource-use problems, the general lack of education and poverty among those exploiting the coastal resources are perhaps crucial factors contributing to over-exploitation of these resources.