Oiled East Coast shore: Corals recovering!

A small team surveys the lagoon on the other side of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal next to the East Coast PCN. This shore was clearly impacted by 2024 mass coral bleaching that affected all our shores, plus the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill on 14 Jun 2024. It was also probably impacted by the 5tonne Changi East oil overspill 28 Oct 2024. 

Today, it was a relief to see much signs of corals recovering on the shore. Seagrasses continue to do well. We also checked out the shore opposite NSRCC briefly and encounter a very friendly otter!


I made monthly checks on the shore since the Pasir Panjang oil spill. The tide was low enough to see the corals in Jul 2024, but not low enough in Aug 2024, Sep 2024, Oct 2024, Nov 2024. On our last survey at a good low tide in Jul 2024, 90% of the corals here are bleaching or highly stressed, and about 50% already have dying/dead portions. Oil was present in the cup-shaped plate corals. Boulder corals had large grey patches of recently dead tissue. There was a smell of death in the air. Today, amongst the bones of large dead coral colonies, there were fresh new coral colonies! Well formed and colourful! Mostly commonly seen boulder coral and plate forming species. Many of the large healthy Boulder Pore corals were riddled with tiny little tubes.

The huge patch of Branching montipora corals (about 5m x 5m) seems to have fully recovered! With nice brown branches. It seems the tips are alive! Close up of colony by Rachael.

The last time we saw them was in Jul 2024 just after the Pasir Panjang oil spill and at the height of mass coral bleaching. The patch was then bleaching. Seems that mostly only the tips are dead.

This shore has never been full of animal life. But we still saw interesting marine life. Rachael saw a Fire anemone, some sponges and crabs and a pair of mating Coastal horseshoe crabs. There was also a small Haddon's carpet anemone and a large Giant carpet anemone. I saw a Huge jellyfish stranded ashore with hermit crabs starting to nibble on it. There were a lot of hermit crabs!

One of the nicest patch of seagrasses in Singapore is at the mouth of this canal. Almost all the seagrass species for Singapore can be found here. They are still growing lush at the mouth of the canal. The seagrasses still seemed healthy, leaves long and not cropped. Most seemed fresh and green, I didn't see any bleaching seagrasses and there was no sign of oil anywhere among the seagrasses. Today, and since Nov 2024, I no longer saw the piles of dead Jania red seaweeds or Halimeda seaweeds as was seen on our previous surveys.

There are lush patches of seagrasses in the large lagoon, from where the Montipora corals grow along the seawall to the mouth of the canal and all the way to the high shore inside the canal. As in the past, there was lots of Spoon seagrass (large and small leaves); Needle seagrass (broad and narrow leaves). There was also lots of Smooth ribbon seagrass, and some Noodle seagrass and Sickle seagrass and Serrated ribbon seagrass. 

One of the best places to see healthy Tape seagrass on the mainland is this shore. I saw many (more than 20 clumps) with long leaves - I saw one with developing male flowers and 2 with developing female flowers. Today I noticed the clumps seem grow in a line...from deep water, parallel to the canal walls across the blue drums all the way to the high shore inside the canal.

It was good to see signs of life on and beneath the small sandy areas. On the low shore, there was poop of Acorn worms, buried Remarkable sea cucumbers (x2), many Olive snails and some Cake sand dollars. On the high shore, burrows of Sand bubbler and Ghost crabs.

Oil that landed on this shore was not cleaned as thoroughly because it is not a recreational beach. Oil under the bridge and in the canal is still seen on the walls and bridge legs. Although they no longer glisten. There were still plenty of signs of life on the oiled wall. Rachael saw many small Onch slugs. There were also many small limpets. It was broad daylight by the time we got to the wall, so probably all the crabs were hiding.

I didn't see any pools or patches of oil in the water or on the seagrass meadows. Also no tar balls. But inside the canal, there seems to be signs of oil remaining in the sand. I didn't smell oil though.

We made a quick stop at the sandy shore opposite NSRCC just as the tide was turning. It was still very much alive with many small Cake sand dollar, some Olive snails and a small Razor clam. The most endearing encounter was with a lone Smooth-coated otter who came towards us! And calmly allowed us to take photos for some time.

What is the fate of these shores?

These shores lie west of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and are slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review.

Technical studies for 'Long Island' 800ha reclamation off the East Coast were recently announced to begin.

Natural regeneration on Singapore's artificial shores and structures is already happening now. Unintentionally, with zero replanting. Can we plan coastal works to allow reefs, mangroves and seagrasses to naturally regenerate? Naturalise canals leading to the sea for a continuum of freshwater wetlands to mangroves? Imagine what's possible! Reefs and natural marine ecosystems at our doorstep, for all in the City to enjoy. More about this idea in my feedback to the Draft Master Plan 2013.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Check out the Sinapore Blue Plan 2018 which outlines community recommendations for all these shores. DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

See these and other East Coast shores for yourself!

It's fun and easy to explore these shores. More details in East Coast Park - Surprising intertidal adventures for the family.

This is what the corals looked like during a very low tide in May 2021
before the mass coral bleaching and oil spill impact in 2024.

Photos by others on this survey

Rachael Goh


Others on the survey: Ian Mun, Muhd Nasry