It starts out looking like a normal five-pointed star, but the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) eventually develops more arms, swells up to one meter in diameter, grows thorns, and preys on corals. This invertebrate — as it is in other areas in the Indo-Pacific including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park — is threatening the coral reefs around the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), a popular tourist destination in Mindanao for its beach resorts, snorkeling and diving. To address the risk of an outbreak, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Davao Region is planning to reduce the number of the crown-of-thorns starfish through continued harvesting activities in partnership with local divers.

Carillo, C. A. (2015, October 9). Samal coral reefs under threat from crown-of-thorns starfish. BusinessWorld, p. 4/S3.