Philippines' illegal fishing, construction activities damage coral reef ecosystem: survey

The Philippines' illegal fishing and construction activities have been damaging the coral reef ecosystem in the South China Sea, according to the newly-released survery report from China's Ministry of Natural Resources.

Titled "A Survey Report on the Coral Reef Ecosystems of Tiexian Jiao and Niu'e Jiao," the document was released on Friday and produced by the South China Sea Development Research Institute of the Ministry of Natural Resources together with other research institutions.

China's Natural Resources Ministry carried out the field investigation from April to August last year. Tiexian Jiao and Niu'e Jiao, revealing that the coral reef ecosystem in Tiexian Jiao has degraded severely, and the condition of Niu'e Jiao remains healthy.

Chinese scientists found that the coral reef ecosystem in Tiexian Jiao has degraded severely, with the reef-building coral coverage decreasing by nearly 70 percent from 2016 to 2024.

Affected by the outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, the coral reef ecosystem of Tiexian Jiao has degraded severely, the report said, adding that from 2016 to 2024, the reef-building coral coverage area at the atoll reef platform where Tiexian Jiao is located decreased by about 68.9 percent.

The document noted that tropical cyclone strikes and frequent human activities, especially the Philippines' continuous and illegal construction on Zhongye Dao are also causes of the deterioration of the coral reef ecosystem of Tiexian Jiao.

"We found discarded fishing nets and wires in the waters near Tiexian Jiao, some marked with Filipino language, some marked 'made in Philippines'. Satellite imagery from 2016 to 2024 also shows that coral coverage in a 2.5-kilometer radius west of Zhongye Island has dropped by 81.8 percent, an even steeper decline than on the Tiexian Jiao side," said Wei Zheng, expert of the South China Sea Development Research Institute.

According to the report, satellite remote sensing and on-site survey data showed that the three cays on Tiexian Jiao reef flat and the one cay on Niu'e Jiao reef flat are all above water at high tide, with apparent natural characteristics, regular changes of position and form, and sufficient materials fostering their growth and formation.

"The Nansha Islands had high coverage of branching reef-building corals. Branching corals are known for their rapid growth but are easily damaged by external forces. In the Nansha Islands, hydrodynamic activity causes broken and dead coral fragments to accumulate, providing abundant material for the formation and development of islands, reefs, and sandbanks," said Cao Yonggang, expert of the South China Sea Survey Center.

Philippines' illegal fishing, construction activities damage coral reef ecosystem: survey

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests