Loon Mayor Elvi Peter L. Relampagos (inset, upper left corner) says that
in celebration of the nationwide observance of the month of May as
Month of the Ocean, a joint operation for the removal of crown of thorns
or dap-ag, in the Cabilao Island underwater seafloor, was conducted by
the Local Government Unit and spearheaded by (see photo) personnel
from the Bohol Provincial Environmental Management Office (BPEMO),
Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Bohol
and Coastal Law Enforcement Council (CLEC) Cluster 2 on May 25,
- The Crown of Thorns (COTs), Acanthaster planci, is a large
starfish that preys on all types of corals and can eat their way through 10
m 2 per year. The presence of 15 or more COTs in a one hectare area is
considered an outbreak, thus, COTs are considered as one of the
biggest threats in the coral reef area. The Crown of Thorns abound in
the underwater seafloor of Cabilao Island, Loon, Bohol which is one of
the country’s well known dive sites. Contributed photo