A Study Of Environmental Impacts On The Coral Resources In The Vicinity Of The Saint Martin Island Bangladesh

A study of the environmental impacts on the coral resources in the vicinity of the Saint Martin Island Bangladesh was conducted with a view to making an assessment of the current status of coral resources in the island and identifying major natural and anthropogenic environmental threats to the future sustainability of these resources. It is evident that the coral resources have been reduced significantly and currently only 41 coral species are available. The existing environmental condition assessed by pH salinity turbidity and temperature in the island is not found responsible for the survival of the corals. The study also reveals that the major anthropogenic interventions are responsible for the gradual depletion of the coral resources. The major anthropogenic threats to the coral resources are coral collection and overfishing. In addition coral extraction is identified as a potential threat to the future integrity of coral communities in the island. Environmental threats from anthropogenic activities related to sedimentation land erosion and pollution are also the concerns for the coral communities in the island. For the conservation of the coral population no coral monitoring cell has been established in this island.