An outbreak of crown-of-thorns seastar (Cots), a coral-eating predator, is devastating coral reefs in seven barangays in Asturias town in western Cebu, threatening fish, tourism and the livelihood of local fisherfolk. Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (Menro) head Joann Rosario, in an interview on Thursday, July 10, 2025, said the spiny predator has reached outbreak levels in parts of the town’s marine protected areas (MPA), particularly in San Roque Coral Garden, where a dense population was confirmed during a monitoring dive in June.

Flores, C. (2025, July 14). Coral-eating starfish damage Asturias reefs. SunStar Cebu, p. 5.