There was an oil spill at Bukom about 12 hours before we arrived for our survey.
We didn't smell any oil at Hantu, although the water seemed particularly murkier than usual - effect of dispersants? Fortunately, we didn't see any
mass coral bleaching and most of the corals seemed to have survived. Today was also the maiden 'flight' of our brand new underwater drone!
Today, the water at the northern side of Pulau Hantu did seem particularly murkier than usual. Earlier today before dawn, there was a leak from a pipeline between Pulau Bukom and Bukom Kecil. In response, Shell and MPA sprayed dispersants - did these result in increased suspension of particles in the water at Pulau Hantu?
Our skipper told us to expect this and on the way to Pulau Hantu at about 5pm, we did cut through a small patch of sheen and thin brown slick (which looked like this photo by MPA in media articles on the spill -
compiled here). This was just before crossing the Jong Fairway, we didn't see any MPA vessels nearby. We could smell the oil before we saw it. I didn't smell any oil on Pulau Hantu.
We return so soon to this shore mainly to check for impact of
mass coral bleaching. During our
Jun 2024 survey, we estimated about 20% of hard corals were full on bleaching and another 20% of hard corals were stressed (pale, odd colours). Today, I didn't widespread bleaching. Although it was challenging to get to the reef edge due to the massive Sargassum bloom (normal for this time of the year). I did manage to see some special corals like
Circular mushroom corals,
Sunflower mushroom corals,
Anchor corals. The large colonies of
Goniopora corals and
Galaxy corals at the reef edge were mostly okay. Some had many dead portions towards the high shore, but okay towards deeper water.
There have always been many medium-sized
leathery soft coral various kinds here. On our
Jun 2024 survey, most were alright, although about 10% were full on bleaching and another 20% slightly stressed (pale, more yellowish than usual or 'melting' with holes in the middle). Today, I saw many large healthy colonies and didn't see any bleaching. But I didn't see any
Asparagus flowery soft corals.
Other cnidarians can also bleach, so I looked out for those too. I saw some large colonies of
Sea mat zoanthids that were brown - some were pale
Jun 2024. I saw a few
Giant carpet anemone all okay, some were pale
Jun 2024. I saw two
Fire anemones and some
Frilly anemones, all were fine.
On the seawalls facing the petrochemical plants, mangroves have settled naturally (without planting)! On the east seawall nearer Hantu Kecil jetty, the mangroves are still small shrubs. On the west seawall, they have grown into tall trees. There are also many little saplings settling all around the edges of the lagoons.
There remains hardly any sighs of seagrasses. Where long lush Tape seagrass used to grow, I saw only a few clumps with very short cropped leaves. Even Spoon seagrasses are sparse and tiny.
What is the fate of Pulau Hantu?Pulau Hantu and all the terumbus west of it are slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the
Long-Term Plan Review. Singapore's submerged reefs are often out of sight under the high tide and thus forgotten.
The Singapore Blue Plan 2018Pulau Semakau and nearby islands and submerged reefs have been recommended by the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 for Immediate Conservation Priority. The Blue Plan recommends the intertidal and subtidal marine areas of Pulau Semakau and adjacent Pulau Hantu, and Pulau Jong to be designated Marine Reserve.
The Blue Plan highlights that Pulau Semakau and its associated patch reefs comprise many ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove areas, intertidal sandflats, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The subtidal area of Pulau Jong is larger than the terrestrial area. Pulau Hantu is a popular dive site has seen increasing interest in the past decade due to biodiversity awareness. If protection is accorded to these three islands, zonation plans for use can be implemented to manage tourism and human impacts.
DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the
Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.
Photos by others on this surveyChe Cheng NeoOthers on this survey: Tammy Lim, Vincent Choo, James Koh, Lon
