Bomb Fishing Is Wreaking Havoc on Indonesia's Coral Reefs

Off Indonesia's Spermonde Archipelago, researchers recorded over 3,500 underwater explosions in 3,600 hours, estimating more than 8,500 blasts annually. Using AI and open-source software, they found bomb fishing occurs year-round, peaks in the mornings, and drops on Fridays. Each blast destroys about 200 square feet of reef, contributing to a 75% coral loss since 1990. Experts say the practice, driven by ineffective enforcement, turns vibrant reefs into rubble, but unlike climate stressors, it's a solvable problem.