A spectator asked what difference the man was making when there many thousands of starfish piled up on the beach. The man answered as he threw another starfish back to the sea, " I made a difference to that one."

However, there are other stories about starfish which are not so pleasant. The Crown of Thorns is a beautiful starfish that feeds on live coral polyps. A serious outbreak leaves a huge dead zone of coral skeletons, an area which usually takes years to recover.

"The problem is not unknown to the Philippines, " states Uwe F. Scholz, who holds a doctorate in marine science. "Crown of thorns starfish or COT are a part of the ecosystem but tend to increase in numbers from time to time. Unfortunately, predators of COT like the Napoleon Wrasse (Mameng) and Triton shell are under high fishing pressure and have thus declined in numbers all over the Philippines."

Mameng is a much sought after fish because it can be sold for many hundreds of pesos per kilo.

Recently an outbreak of crown of thorns starfish was detected at the Arthur’s Rock Marine Sanctuary in Mabini, Batangas near Anilao. Students and teachers from the European International School (EIS) organized a two-day event on February 9 and 10 to assist the municipal government in removing the starfish.

The 10 volunteers managed to remove 600 COT starfish, which were later disposed of by the LGU staff. With the outbreak being reported in other areas of Mabini, Mayor Nilo M. Villanueva has pledged further support to the removal initiatives which are also being assisted by different divers associations from Metro Manila and local dive guides.

The 600 COT starfish removed was only a small percentage of the number in the waters off Mabini. But their removal certainly made a difference to the coral off Arthur’s Rock Marine Sanctuary as well as the fish and marine life that depend on the coral.

"Experience has shown that commitment of LGUs is crucial in conservation efforts" states Scholz, who works for German Technical Cooperation (GTZ). "The City of San Carlos and the province of Negros Occidental , one of the partners of GTZ in Region 6, last year gave 1kg rice for every 15 starfish collected. The incentive was given to local fishermen to assist Bantay Dagat and volunteer divers in protecting the marine environment.

"Despite the fact that Mabini is not located in GTZ’s target region, which at present is the Visayas and parts of Mindanao" , stated Scholz, "the removal deserved to be supported as it gave a good chance for EIS students and teachers to get exposed to conservation efforts in the Verde Passage."

The sea around Verde Island between Batangas and Mindoro has been recognized as a hotspot of biodiversity in the country and currently receives support from such partners as the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International.