CHINA and Vietnam lead the countries that have caused massive coral reef destruction in the South China Sea, according to a satellite imagery analysis published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The study found that activities by countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea — including dredging, land reclamation, industrial fishing, and the harvesting of giant clams — have inflicted severe and possibly irreversible damage to its marine ecosystems. The CSIS analysis, conducted by Harrison Pretat, Monica Sato, and Gregory Poling under the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, found that claimant states collectively destroyed more than 7,000 acres of coral reef. China has the largest share, burying an estimated 4,648 acres of reef since 2013. Vietnam followed with roughly 2,362 acres. Other claimants, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan, were also cited as contributors, though at significantly lower levels. Satellite imagery shows that China and Vietnam have used large-scale dredgers and land-filling operations to build artificial islands and expand outposts. The activities uproot reef substructures, create sediment clouds that smother marine life, and permanently alter reef ecosystems. Vietnam’s use of clamshell dredgers initially caused slower, more localized damage, but recent adoption of cutter suction dredgers mirrors China’s more destructive approach. Beyond dredging, the study said that large-scale harvesting of giant clams, particularly by Chinese fishermen, further degraded reef systems. Satellite imagery and reports from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) indicate that giant clam harvesting has damaged more than 16,535 acres of reef, including key sites such as Scarborough Shoal, Iroquois Reef, and Sabina Shoal. The clams, which serve as natural water filters and provide habitat for other reef species, have been uprooted using high-pressure water pumps and other destructive methods, causing further collapse of surrounding coral. The study found that the ecological consequences are severe. The South China Sea hosts 571 reef-forming coral species — about one-third of the world’s total — and supports 3,790 fish species, including both reef-dependent and pelagic species such as tuna. It is also home to eight of the world’s 10 largest bivalve species, as well as sharks, rays, dolphins, and other marine mammals. Coral reefs alone sustain an estimated 25 percent of global marine life, yet the study’s satellite data indicate that the South China Sea’s reef cover has declined roughly 16 percent each decade. The report also highlighted that industrial overfishing aggravates the crisis. China and Vietnam dominate regional fishing, employing destructive bottom trawling that damages seabed habitats and captures non-target species. According to the Sea Around Us project, 12 percent of the global fisheries catch comes from the South China Sea, supporting at least 3.7 million people in neighboring countries. Despite rising fishing pressure, the study notes that fish stocks have stagnated or declined since the mid-1990s, an indication of severe overexploitation. The CSIS report warned that while territorial disputes dominate attention in the South China Sea, the rapidly deteriorating marine environment is a critical concern. The report said coastal states must take urgent action to halt destructive practices, regulate industrial fishing, and protect one of the world’s most biodiverse and economically vital marine ecosystems, which supports more than 1.87 billion people in the surrounding region.