Coastal communities around Sarangani Bay have been working together to collect crown-of-thorn (COT) starfish as an outbreak threatens coral reefs at the protected area. Protected Area Superintended Joy C. Ologuin said teams composed of residents, local government workers and volunteers have collected over 100,000 of the COT starfish over the last three months. “This is one of the worst COT breakouts not only in SBPS (Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape) but in the whole country,” Ms. Ologuin said in a statement Tuesday released Monday by the Environment department’s Soccsksargen regional office.

Sarangani Bay communities battle outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish threatening coral reefs