Illegal blast fishing, which involves using explosives to kill and stun fish, has severely damaged coral reefs in Indonesia’s Spermonde Archipelago. Marine biologist Ben Williams noted that while the sound of detonations travels far underwater, the source of the explosions is often out of sight.
Between 1990 and 2022, about 75% of the coral in the Spermonde Archipelago was destroyed by this practice, leaving behind extensive underwater wreckage. Researchers are now exploring the use of underwater microphones and data science to monitor and detect these destructive activities, as part of ongoing reef restoration efforts.
Source: Mongabay