Fiji could experience significant financial losses if ocean temperatures continue to rise, according to Margaret Vakalalabure, manager of the Coral Reef Rescue Initiative at World Wildlife Fund Fiji. Vakalalabure highlighted that coastal communities would be particularly hard-hit, as their livelihoods rely on fishing, which is threatened by warmer waters.
She emphasized the importance of maintaining certain water temperatures for marine life to spawn and feed effectively. Speaking at a workshop hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Society, she warned that without urgent intervention, the economic consequences could total millions of dollars.
“When the Earth’s surface temperature rises, it contributes to the heating of ocean waters, leading to dangerously low oxygen levels in the sea,” Vakalalabure explained. She recalled the fish kills that occurred before Cyclone Winston struck in March 2016, specifically mentioning areas like the Coral Coast.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ocean temperatures have already increased by two degrees Celsius, adversely affecting coral reefs. “Our coral reefs are crucial to marine ecosystems, much like forests are to land. Their deterioration has widespread implications,” she stated.
Vakalalabure reiterated that the rise in ocean temperatures is severely affecting Fiji’s corals, leading to significant ecological and economic consequences.