Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Status of the Coral Reefs in the Pacific and Outlook. Reports by the Global Coral Reef Network in collaboration with UNEP, IUCN and other agencies
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Outbreaks of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastar Acanthaster planci (COTS) represent one of the greatest disturbances to coral reef ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific, affecting not only coral reefs but also the coastal communities which rely on their resources. This research paper documents a test of a new alternative control method based upon acidic injections of cheap, 100% natural products that was carried out in Vanuatu where the presence of COTS has frequently been reported.