Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – This morning (28th), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held a press conference. At the conference, the Ministry released the "2025 Huangyan Island Marine Ecological Environment Status Survey and Assessment Report."
The report shows that the environmental quality of the Huangyan Island marine area remains excellent. The quality of seawater and marine sediments remains at Class I. The residual levels of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in fish samples are all below the evaluation standard limits. Cyanide was not detected in seawater, marine sediments, or fish samples.
The report indicates that the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Island is healthy and stable. The field survey recorded 134 species of reef-building corals belonging to 39 genera and 14 families, 25 more species than in the 2024 survey. The average coverage of live corals was 29.8%, with a high rate of coral larval replenishment. The coral community exhibits good resistance and tolerance to rising sea temperatures. Reef biodiversity is rich, with 145 species of reef-dwelling fish belonging to 24 families recorded, 20 more species than in the 2024 survey. In addition, three species of giant clams, as well as shell-like coral algae, blue corals, soft corals, and crinoids were recorded. No phase transition from corals to macroalgae was observed, no coral reef diseases were found, and the number of predatory organisms such as crown-of-thorns starfish was low. The field survey also recorded three types of seagrass distributed in the Huangyan Island lagoon: *Haloxylon ammodendron*, *Silphium rotundifolium*, and *Nepenthes*.
The report argues that Huangyan Island's natural ecosystem boasts good diversity, stability, and sustainability, providing important habitats and sanctuaries for marine life in the South China Sea and serving as a crucial record of global climate change and environmental evolution. However, as climate change intensifies, the coral reefs around Huangyan Island face increasing heat stress, and the potential risk of coral bleaching remains significant.
