The Philippines has accused China of using cyanide to catch fish at the disputed Scarborough Shoal. That joins a lengthy list of China’s environmental crimes in the South China Sea, from turning disputed reefs into artificial islands through dredging and land reclamation work to clam harvesting techniques that destroy entire coral reefs.
In this interview, John McManus, a professor at the Rosenstiel School of the University of Miami, discusses the environmental damage to the South China Sea, China’s role, and the chances for an ecological recovery.
Cyanide fishing is “not good,” but it’s “far down the list” in terms of ecologically harmful practices in the South China Sea, McManus explains. Dredging and the use of propellers to harvest giant clams shells – along with worldwide ocean temperature rises – have done far more damage to the coral reefs in the region.