Rogue Reef by rachel lefevre

ROGUE REEF GEURILLA ENVIRONMENTALISM IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

For: Isaiah

P1. Photo 1: Xayaburi Dam, Ban Pakneun, Laos

THE MEKONG.

NATURAL RESOURCES

POWER

OWNERSHIP

Context: Ownership and Resource Management Within the Mekong River Basin and South East Asia.

RECLAMATION.

REEFS

ISLANDS

LEGISLATION

Context: The Natural Formation of Reefs, The Creation of Artificial Islands, and Resulting Ecocide.

ROGUE REEF.

MASQUERADE

MONETIZE

WEAPONIZE

REVITALIZE

Commentary: A Proposal for Remediating Reefs Amidst Geopolitical Conflict and Economic Opportunity.

ROGUE REEF: A GUIDE ENDS, MEANS, AND MEANS TO MEANS Throughout the book, at the beginning of each section, you will find diagrams to help unpack the complexities of each chapter. These diagrams delineating spatial, economic, and functional relationships are comprised of icons and symbols.

• Symbols encapsulated in squares denote means. • Symbols encapsulated in squares elevated above lines between an end or location and a mean, denote means to means.

• X’s with locations in subscript denote places.

• Arrows, naturally, denote the direction of flow within any given relationship.

• Symbols encapsulated in circles denote ends.

INTRODUCTION EXPLORING POWER DYNAMICS IN THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN “‘The Mekong’ refers to both the Mekong River, the 7th-longest river in all of Asia, and the Mekong River Basin, an area of over 300,000 square miles spanning the territory of six countries. The headwaters of the Mekong (Lancang) are in ‘The Top of the World’ in the Tibetan Peninsula, and descend through China’s Yunnan Province, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before flowing into the South China Sea,”1 home to the Coral Triangle: the most diverse and prolific aggregations of reefs in the world, containing 76% of the globe’s coral species.2

dollars, 395 billion dollars, and 193 billion dollars, respectively.4 This income gets partially invested in the construction of dams in poorer countries such as Cambodia and Laos. While the larger countries with more capital reap the benefits of dam construction, more energy for their growing urban populations, Cambodia and Laos bear the disproportionate ecological burdens: Flooding, pollution, disruption of fish migration. Indeed, these ecological and financial scenarios are reflections of larger power dynamics within the region, dynamics which manifest themselves through military, territorial, and economic might. All of these manifestations coalesce spatially in the middle of the South China Sea, amidst the reefs and land masses which make up the Spratly and Parcel Islands, leaving a chain of geo-political and ecological wreckage in its wake. Rogue Reef is an attempt to understand and mitigate this wreckage within its complex context without creating extreme conflict.

“The Mekong is a region with countries in varying states of development and with harsh divides between wealthy and vulnerable countries and populations. Complex environmental issues surrounding damming exacerbate these divides, augmenting inequalities while simultaneously shedding light on transnational tensions.”3 The regional power players, China, Thailand, and Vietnam have GDPs vastly outweighing those of other countries in the region: 10.87 trillion

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.â&#x20AC;? - Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species

P2. Photo 2: An Aerial image of the Mekong River Delta.

THE MEKONG NATURAL RESOURCE ABUNDANCY AND RISK South East Asia contains a myriad of natural resources capable of fueling economies, energy production, and capitalism. This is inherently a double edged sword: under-utilizing resources inhibits the economic and developmental growth of the region and over-utilizing them results in ecological turmoil which can impact agrarian populations and products, which make up approximately 34% of SE Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP. 5

centers of Central and South East Asia: Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and Chang Mai. These urban areas have been growing at a consistent rate of 3% annually,6 requiring more energy and more resources every day to support their populations. While in more developed regions of the world environmental protection is frequently considered a priority, at least by governments, in still-developing South East Asia capitalism still reigns supreme. Growth supersedes environmental responsibility and the immediate income generated by the sale of resources and production of energy supersedes long-term benefits of environmental protection and resource management.

Indeed, the burdens over-utilization fall more heavily on rural populations within South East Asia, and even more heavily on the rural populations in poorer countries such as Laos and Cambodia where the GDP is more heavily reliant on agriculture. Conversely, the benefits of over-utilization benefit the wealthier, urban

RESOURCES

At one time forests covered SE Asia, but since 1970 forested areas have reduced drastically. The burning of wood for fuel and the black market exotic wood trade have decimated the region. Since 1980, Cambodia has lost 22% of its forests, Laos has lost 24%, Myanmar has lost 24%; Most radically, Vietnam and Thailand have lost 43% of their forests.7 This deforestation poses great threats to not only biodiversity8 but flood risk mitigation. Trees naturally prevent erosion help sediment to remain within the flood plain, making the region more fertile for agricultural production. The Mekong itself is an ecological resource, its sediment nourishing the agricultural regions and its waters sustaining millions of fish which migrate seasonally.9 The ecological bounty of the river continues on into open water, pumping nutrients and detritus into the South China Sea. Over time, the natural compounds deposited by the river decompose, forming rich oil basins deep below sea level.10

D1. Diagram 1: Sections of South East Asia. 100, 102.4, 105, 112.5

MEKONG

South East Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main resources are its forests (wood), the river itself, and the rich oil basins created by nutrient rich detritus deposited in the South China Sea.

POWER

There are currently 33 dams that are planned, under construction, or up and running—not including the tens of dams planned on each tributary of the Mekong. Eventually, these dams will be capable of producing a total of 47,437 megawatts of power,12 or 1,138,488 megawatt-hours of energy in a single day, enough to power the entire state of Alaska for two months.13 Further complicating the power sources in the region are the bountiful oil basins just below the South China Sea. Some quantitative estimates speculate that there are as many as 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath the ocean floor.14 While many of these reserves remain out of the reach of contemporary equipment, they are sure to be of interest as technology continues to develop and demand for energy increases within the region. D2. Dam Locations Along the Mekong River in South East Asia.

MEKONG

The Mekong River and the oil found in the South China Sea are both important current and future sources of energy production within the region. On April 5, 1995, countries in the region signed onto the “Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin;” an agreement which set in place laws regarding water governance. This, in effect, paved the way for the construction of dams financed by private and public institutions.11

OWNERSHIP

Under UNCLOS III, coastal states retain ownership of its surrounding waters from the baseline to the outer edge of the continental margin, including the continental shelf and its slope. For all the countries along the Mekong, these guidelines are complicated by the fact that the continental shelf ends on the Eastern side of the Philippines. In this case ownership may not extend beyond 350 miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the isobath of the shelf.15 16 This ownership is what constitutes Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), areas where only the presiding country may fish, drill or engage in other economic activities unless the government negotiates an alternative agreement with appropriate parties. In South East Asia, this has led to the parceling off of coastal areas which can be sold to oil drilling companies like British Petroleum. Reefs and Islands complicate the outer bounds of regional EEZs, placing their ownership on the forefront of disputes.

MEKONG

Outside of the Mekong and beyond the 1995 agreement, water and resource governance is largely controlled by international bodies such as the UN. Today, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) III is the primary legislative document utilized in territorial disputes. UNCLOS III contains many important regulations; however, some are more important than others. For the purposes of this book, the most significant regulations are those relating to coastal states, exclusive economic zones, and reefs/islands.

MEKONG

D3. Diagram 3: South East Asia: An Abstract Mapping.

II.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die.â&#x20AC;? - Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species

RECLAMATION REEFS, ISLANDS, LEGISLATION AND ECOCIDE Technically, to reclaim means “to retrieve or recover; to bring (waste land or land formerly under water) under cultivation.”17 In the geo-political context of the Mekong River and the South China Sea, reclamation refers to the state sponsored process of converting underwater land masses into islands in order to expand the state’s land ownership. Unfortunately for the wildlife endemic to the region, the process of reclamation poses a great threat to the reefs so vital to the ecological community.

because they are the only land masses which within a few feet of the surface of the ocean— requiring the least amount of dredging and sedimentation to create land. Regrettably, the process of dredging and sedimentation pollutes surrounding waters, killing algae and microscopic organisms, bleaching coral and decimating the ecological landscape.19 As a result, locals reliant upon the reefs for food and income suffer, potentially accumulating losses of millions of dollars per year.20 This is of little concern to governments and nations, as the immediate geo-political advantages that reef reclamation offers perceptively out-weight the long term advantages of environmental stability and protections. This is of course a matter of perspective; nonetheless, the perspective of regional governments is clear and apathetic to the plight of the ecological community.

Reclamation involves the process of pumping sediment from the ocean floor onto an underwater land mass, aggregating sediment until the underwater landmass breaks the surface of the water and becomes usable land suitable for the building of structures like radar stations and runways for aircrafts.18 Reefs are the only aquatic land masses that can be practically reclaimed by traditional techniques

P3. Photo 3: Fiery Cross Reef, part of the disputed Spratly Islands

Water erodes rock on volcanic land formations underwater.

Rocks are pushed toward center of atoll formation. Sediment forms.

REEFS RECLAMATION

The Coral Triangle is a scientifically defined region that spans from the Eastern edge of Malaysia (Brunei) past Papua New Guinea to the Soloman Islands. The coral triangle formed over thousands of years, and today is home to 76% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coral species and 37% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coral reef fish species.21 The extreme biodiversity of populations within the Coral Triangle is likely a product of adaptation to geological events over time and the relationship between aquatic species and the plant life on land.22 Despite the resilience that the Coral Triangle has demonstrated, it is more vulnerable today than ever before due to climate change and warming waters. Yet, the most immediate threat to the Coral Triangle comes in the form of destructive human activities such as reclamation, which pollute, bleach, and kill off coral without regard to its importance.

New limestone sediment allows for the growth of coral.

Wind carries sand and sediment forming lagoons around a central island.

D4. Diagram 4: The Formation of Coral Reefs Overtime.

The process of reclaiming reefs through the process of dredging begins with selecting a reef with advantageous geo-political and spatial qualities, a reef which would grant a proprietor access to the most prolific EEZ. After the reef is selected, dredgers begin to remove sediment and coral from the reef, pumping it onto the top of the reef through hoses until a land mass is created. Throughout this process coral becomes bleached and the ecosystem is destroyed through pollution and literal fragmentation. After the land mass is created, ships will arrive with building materials and construction on the built environment of the island will begin. This varies from island to island: sometimes there are homes or resorts (more likely in the Parcel Islands) and more frequently there is military apparatus such as a runway, helipad or radar station.

D5. Diagram 5: The Creation of Islands on Coral Reefs.

RECLAMATION

ISLANDS

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea CONTENTS

Page

PREAMBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 PART I.

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Article 1.

PART II.

Use of terms and scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

TERRITORIAL SEA AND CONTIGUOUS ZONE . . . . . . . . 23

SECTION 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 2. Legal status of the territorial sea, of the air space over the territorial sea and of its bed and subsoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SECTION 2. LIMITS OF THE TERRITORIAL SEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 3. Breadth of the territorial sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 4. Outer limit of the territorial sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 5. Normal baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 6. Reefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 7. Straight baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 8. Internal waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 9. Mouths of rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 10. Bays ........ Article 11. Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 12. Roadsteads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 13. Low-tide elevations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 14. Combination of methods for determining baselines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 15. Delimitation of the territorial sea between States with opposite or adjacent coasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 16. Charts and lists of geographical coordinates . . . . . . SECTION 3. INNOCENT PASSAGE IN THE TERRITORIAL SEA . . . . . SUBSECTION A. RULES APPLICABLE TO ALL SHIPS . . . . . . . . . Article 17. Right of innocent passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 18. Meaning of passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 19. Meaning of innocent passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 20. Submarines and other underwater vehicles . . . . . . . Article 21. Laws and regulations of the coastal State relating to innocent passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 22. Sea lanes and traffic separation schemes in the territorial sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Article 23. Foreign nuclear-powered ships and ships carrying nuclear or other inherently

LEGISLATION

RECLAMATION

As was mentioned in the introductions UNCLOS III, published in 1982, is still the governing document of today.23 In theory, the document provides a set of regulations to “contribute to the realization of a just and equitable international economic order through making provision for the peaceful use of ocean space;” 24 however, in reality, the situation is much more complex. Problematically, the geo-political structures that existed in 1982 have changed significantly, and as burgeoning nations like China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines vie for regional power and global influence, UNCLOS III has become more a mechanism of aggression rather than peace. In effect, UNCLOS III sanctions reclamation efforts in the region, rewarding the creation of islands with the creation of proprietary Exclusive Economic Zones. This has not gone unnoticed, and global authorities such as the G7 Foreign Ministers have published documents condemning the aggressive reclamation by China.25 Recently, the rapid development of a reef in the Spratly Islands, known as Fiery Cross Reef, has renewed tensions. Going forward, this reef will serve as a case study and as a potential site for architectural intervention.

23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 26

26 26 26 26 26 26 27 27 27 28

G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Maritime Security April 11, 2016 Hiroshima, Japan

Free, open and stable seas are a cornerstone for peace, stability and prosperity of the international community. Recognizing the importance of the oceans, we, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and High Representative of the European Union, reaffirm our commitment to further international cooperation on maritime security and safety. We reaffirm the importance of maintaining a maritime order based upon the universally recognized principles of international law, including those reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The legal order for the seas and oceans facilitates international communication, promotes the peaceful uses of the seas and oceans and the sustainable use of marine resources, and supports economic order and security in the international community. We reiterate our commitment to the freedoms of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the high seas and the exclusive economic zones as well as to the related rights and freedoms in other maritime zones, including the rights of innocent passage, transit passage and archipelagic sea lanes passage consistent with international law. We call on all states to pursue the peaceful management and settlement of maritime disputes in good faith and in accordance with international law, including through applicable internationally recognized legal dispute settlement mechanisms, including arbitration, recognizing that the use of such mechanisms is consistent with the maintenance and enhancement of the international order based upon the rule of law, and to fully implement any decisions rendered by the relevant courts and tribunals which are binding on them, including as provided under UNCLOS. We are concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and emphasize the fundamental importance of peaceful management and settlement of disputes. We express our strong opposition to any intimidating, coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions, and urge all states to refrain from such actions as land reclamations including large scale 1

F1. Fig. 1: UNCLOS 1 and G7 Statement on Maritime Security.

RECLAMATION

P4.5.6.7. From Bottom to Top: D. Support Structures C. Runway and Helipad B. Harbor and Dock A. Radar and Helipad

III.

“...For the shield may be as important for victory, as the sword or spear.” - Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species

P8. Photo 1: An Aerial View of a Rogue Reeef Unit at Night.

ROGUE REEF GEURILLA ENVIRONMENTALISM AND ACTION Rogue Reef is a speculative project which doubles as a mediation on the current geopolitical and ecological status of the Mekong River basin and the South China Sea. The project situates itself as a non-political, vigilante solution to the current ecocide occurring in the South China Sea due to reclamation, providing reefs and fishermen alike a chance at survival. In specific, Rogue Reef works within the case study of a single reclaimed landmass, Fiery Cross Reef.

a series of hydraulic breakwaters. Overseeing all of this is a militarized guard post, prepared to defend the newly established reef from aggressive encounters in the tumultuous waters The boats occupy space in pairs, during the day opening up to form shipping lanes for coral delivery and during the night closing back together creating a locked condition. The coral gets delivered from fishermen who, once reliant upon the fish thriving on the reefs, have turned to an alternate source of income. Fishermen scavenge the coral from reefs undergoing reclamation and bring them through shipping lanes to a Rogue Reef, exchanging coral for moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;effectively monetizing and incentivizing the process.

Programmatically, Rogue Reef is a series of large boats/vessels which attach to coral panels spanning through the sea just below the surface. The vessels include a shipping dock where rescued coral specimens may be brought in, an interior space for scientists to tag and sort coral onto the panels before placing them in the ocean, an underwater observatory, and a series of rentable spaces for tourists and guests connected onto a private marina protected by

Reef gives voice and place to a brand of militarized, monetized, sustainable guerilla environmentalism which accounts for the geo-political complexities of the region.

ROGUE REEF

F2. Fig. 2: Rogue Reef: Fake Advertisement 1.

MASQUERADE

Rogue Reef evades and disguises itself in two ways. Firstly, Rogue Reef masquerades itself as a tourist attraction and a hotel destination. The majority of the space on any individual vessel is taken up by hotel rooms, boardwalks for sunbathing, the underwater observatory, and the private marina for swimming, yachting, and scuba diving. This is par for the course within the region, which is home to numerous resorts and beaches which tote clear water, access to tranquility and nature. Further, it is this element which enables Rogue Reef to be financially solvent: the income generated from hospitality services enables the payment of fishermen for their coral, which in turn results in the attraction of more guests. Secondly, Rogue Reef is capable of evading conflict. Unlike reefs themselves and other hotels, Rogue Reef is mobile, capable of being within any given EEZ at one moment and in international waters the next. In this way, Rogue Reef utilizes guerilla like tactics to achieve its goals, out smarting and utilizing international law to its advantage through its mobility.

ROGUE REEF

Aside from the functional and architectural concerns of Rogue Reef, vessels must also be equipped to evade and disguise itself within the context so as not to provoke aggression from the powers that be. This is necessary because by its very nature rogue reef occupies waters surrounding newly formed islands, waters which become part of newly formed EEZs.

ROGUE REEF

F3. Fig. 3: Rogue Reef: Fake Advertisement 2.

ROGUE REEF

Coral Cove

F4. Fig. 4: Rogue Reef: Fake Advertisement 3.

ROGUE REEF

F5. Fig. 5: Aggregated Rogue Reefs. Phase IV.

Rogue Reef vessels do not appear at a site all at once, instead they undergo a colonization process, arriving one at a time and following the progression of reclamation. Construction on Fiery Cross Reef began in the fall of 2014, which would mark the beginning of Phase II: the initial arrival of one Rogue Reef unit (two vessels). Reclamation augmented in the spring of 2015, marking the beginning of Phase III: subsequent arrival of additional units to further colonize the area and collect more coral. By January 1, 2016 construction on the island was mostly complete, which marks the beginning of Phase IV: the arrival of the last unit in order to take some of the weight off the other vessels for transportation out of the vicinity and into ROOF PLAN international waters.

HYDRAULIC BREAKWATER

TIO

C IRE

PRIVATE MARINA

RAMP TO OBSERVATORY

GUARD POST

LOADING DOCK

ROGUE REEF

COLONIZATION

CORAL WITH MORE LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

K ONTO

OM BAC

SSES FR ORAP PA

CORAL

TO PASSES

PANELS

BACK AR

ROGUE REEF IES ARE

CORAL WITH LESS LIGHT REQUIREMENTS

DELIVER CORAL

CORAL

ARRIVES

MADE TO

THE DO

ON SHIP

SHIPPING LANES

EXPANDED PANELS

F6. Fig. 6: Plan: Unlocked: Deliveries May Arrive.

DIRECTIO

N OF CUR

RENT

DOUBLE BREAKWATER

COLLAPSED PANELS

F7. Fig. 7: Plan: Locked. Inner Harbor Blocked.

ROGUE REEF

ENT

Each Rogue Reef unit exists in two states: an open, unlocked state during the day and a closed, lock state during the night. During the day the two vessels in the unit detach from each other, opening a shipping lane between them for the entrance of fishing ships carrying coral. After opening, ships dock in order to off-load and then depart past the breakwaters at the opposite end of the unit. Coral is passed on a conveyor belt to scientists and placed on panels which are slid into the water. As the units expand from each other the coral panels, too, are expanded manually by divers in the water, assuring that each panel of coral will receive maximum refracted sunlight. During the evening the vessels reconnect, effectively closing the shipping lane. The panels are compressed back together and tethered by scuba divers, making it easier for guards to protect them from theft and being ripped away by the current. Throughout the day and night, the yachting and swimming marinas are protected by dual hydraulic breakwaters which serve to break the impact of the current and provide relatively still water for guests.

DIRECTION

OF CURR

STRUCTURAL SECURITY

SIN COVE ISL

COLLINS REEF

40’

JOHNSON SOUTH REEF PEA

RSO

WES T ZO

N ZO

FIERY CROSS REEF

NE EAS T ZO

AR TE

20’

MARALLE REEF

9° PEARSON REEF CENTRAL REEF WEST REEF

SEA LEVEL

CUARTERON REEF

EAST REEF

ALLISON REEF

40’

TUNA

PHOTIC ZONE

WHITETIP REEF SHARK

CORN

HUGHES REEF

LAND

SIN COVE EAST

O EM

AB NT

IO UN

LENSDOWNE REEF

NWA

LLIS

ZON

DIURNAL FORMATION The open/unlocked formation assumed by units during the day is designed for optimal offloading and optimal light conditions. During the day, docks can accommodate up to two ships offloading at a time per vessel, four per unit. The vessels can separate as far as need be to accommodate the exit of the ships; however, a distance of approximately 200 meters is standard for a single unit.

PIGEON REEF

NWALLIS SOUTH REEF

Panels themselves are manually expanded during the day to allow for maximum light exposure. Each panel rotates and locks into a position perpendicular to the refracted angle of the sun, approximately 21 degrees in the middle of the South China Sea. The angle of the sun in turn determines the spacing of the panel apparatuses, which must be positioned so as to not block the sunlight of the next panel. Thus, groups of panels are positioned 150 feet or more away from each other. Because of this spacing requirement, the number of panel groups per unit determines the distance one unit must be away from another. This varies from day to night and from unit to unit because the operations of one unit are always independent from those of another. 45

ROGUE REEF

COR

TOURISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S YACHT DOUBLE BREAKWATER SCIENTIST / CORAL SORTING GUARD POST

UNDERWATER VIEWING

FISHERMEN UNLOADING

F8. Fig. 8: Unlocked Condition. Coral Deliveries in Progress.

FIERY CROSS ISLAND

ROGUE REEF

F9.

F10.

Fig. 9: Tourists Observe Fish in Their New, Old Habitat.

Fig. 10: Swimmers Swim. Police Police. Boaters Boat.

ROGUE REEF

F11.

F12.

Fig. 11: Wild Tuna Swim in Their Schools Around Panels.

Fig. 12: Workers Facilitate Coral Delivery from a Ship.

ROGUE REEF

F13. Fig. 13: Coral Panel Diagramatic Section.

ROGUE REEF

F14. Fig. 14: Coral Panel Compression Diagram.

On the other hand, the closed/locked formation assumed by units during the evening is designed for maximum security and spatial efficiency. Vessels within a unit close back together, blocking passage through the shipping channels and limiting entrance between the two vessels to one side, easing the task of guards atop the vessel as well as patrols on jet skis around the units. The panels are manually contracted one group at a time until they are approximately 15 to 20 feet away from each other. This allows for greater ease in guarding and accounting for them, since above water panels are only identifiable from the lit buoys that suspend them. In addition, it helps to prevent the theft of coral, the risk of which becomes inherent through the process of monetization. The compression of the panels is also of ecological significance: the closing of the panels forms a large lagoon protected from open waters. The close proximity of panels allows for coral to breed and spread among the panels, enabling the diversity of the coral to be sustained naturally. Lagoon formation, too, encourages the breeding and propagation of surrounding fish populationsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;helping to restore the ecosystem to its natural equilibrium. 53

ROGUE REEF

NOCTURNAL FORMATION

YACHTS DOCKING IN MARINA DOUBLE BREAKWATER SCIENTIST / CORAL SORTING

EVENING ACTIVITIES

GUARD POST WORKERS RESTING

F15. Fig. 1: Locked Condition. Inner Harbor Blocked.

ROGUE REEF

F16.

F17.

Fig. 16: Specialized Divers Tether Coral Panels Together.

Fig. 17: Yachts Return to Private Marina to Dock.

ROGUE REEF

F18.

F19.

Fig. 18: Workers Rest on the Dock while Guards Lookout.

Fig. 19: A Native Octopus Swims Near a Diver.

IV.

EPILOGUE ONWARD TO THE FUTURE Conflict in the South China Sea is likely to persist well into the future. This is especially true given the immense opportunities for growth and investment within the relatively under-developed Mekong River Basin. The creation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership reinforces predictions of continued growth – ensuring the expansion of trade, particularly between South East Asia and Western Nations. The expansion of trade, however, is sure to exacerbate tensions within the region surrounding the issue of economic zoning. This has already begun to happen as China’s quest for reclamation continues to expand. Within the first half of 2016, already there have been a series of encounters between the Chinese

military and international forces seeking to maintain the protection of international waters and globally significant resources such as coral reefs. These encounters are sufficiently and succinctly captured by the headlines that are run in every paper multiple times a week: “China’s Top Court Issued and ‘Ominous’ Message About the South China Sea,”26 “Obama Faces a Tough Balancing Act Over South China Sea,”27 “U.S. to Have ‘Very Serious Conversation’ with China over Suspected South China Sea Missile Deployment.”28 Indeed, things seem likely to get much more tense before they relax, creating a tangle of regional complexities which may take decades to unravel.

SOURCES TEXT ENDNOTES 1. From “Archidam” Mekong River Basin Futures, Rachel LeFevre and Natasha Tabachnikoff, February 2016 2. Coral Triangle Initiative. “CORAL TRIANGLE FACTS, FIGURES, AND CALCULATIONS: Part II: Patterns of Biodiversity and Endemism.” (n.d.): n. pag. Coral Triangle Initiative, 16 Dec. 2008. Web 3. From “Archidam” Mekong River Basin Futures, Rachel LeFevre and Natasha Tabachnikoff, February 2016 4. World Bank, n.d. Web. <http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD>. SOURCES

5. “Agriculture - Africa Report.” (2008): n. pag. United Nations. Web. <http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/ publications/trends_africa2008/agriculture.pdf>. 6. Misra, Tanvi. “East Asia’s Massive Urban Growth, in 5 Infographics.” Citylab.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http:// www.citylab.com/housing/2015/01/east-asias-massive-urban-growth-in-5-infographics/384960/>. 7. Vidal, John. “Greater Mekong Countries ‘lost One-third of Forest Cover in 40 Years’” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 May 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/ may/02/greater-mekong-forest-cover>. 8. Vidal, John. “Greater Mekong Countries ‘lost One-third of Forest Cover in 40 Years’” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 May 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/ may/02/greater-mekong-forest-cover>. 9. Poulsen, Anders F. “Fish Migration and Hydrology: How the Fish See It.” Mekong Fish: Catch and Culture 6.1 (2000): n. pag. Web. <http://www.mekonginfo.org/assets/midocs/0001914-biota-fish-migration-andhydrology-how-the-fisherers-see-it.pdf>. 10. “Geologists Start With Sedimentary Rocks.” Oil on My Shoes. Geomore.com, n.d. Web. <http://www. geomore.com/sedimentary-rocks/>.

11. Mekong River Commission. “Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin.” (n.d.): n. pag. Web. <http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/ agreement-Apr95.pdf>.

13. U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, State Energy Data System (SEDS), Table F21: Electricity Consumption Estimates, 2014; http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/energy/18ener7.pdf 14. Maxie, Jeremy. “The South China Sea Dispute Isn’t About Oil, At Least Not How You Think.” Forbes. Forbes, n.d. Web. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremymaxie/2016/04/25/the-south-china-sea-disputeisnt-about-oil-at-least-not-how-you-think/#46a01e777275>. 15. Elferink, A.G. Oude. “The Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf beyond 200 Nautical Miles under the Framework of Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC).” (n.d.): n. pag. Web. <https://www.spf.org/opri-j/news/pdf/aba.pdf>. 16. http://www.seabedmapping.com/image/image-unclos.jpg 17. “Definition of Reclaim in English:.” Reclaim: Definition of Reclaim in Oxford Dictionary (American English) (US). N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_ english/reclaim>. 18. Watkins, Derek. “What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea.” Nytimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/world/asia/what-china-has-been-building-in-the-southchina-sea.html>.

SOURCES

12. Yan, Katy. “Megadams Drown Out Small Victories in the Upper Mekong.” International Rivers. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <https://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/246/megadams-drown-out-small-victoriesin-the-upper-mekong>.

19. Whaley, Floyd. “China’s Island-Building Is Ruining Coral Reefs, Philippines Says.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Apr. 2015. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/world/asia/ chinas-island-building-is-ruining-coral-reefs-philippines-says.html?_r=0>. 20. Whaley, Floyd. “China’s Island-Building Is Ruining Coral Reefs, Philippines Says.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Apr. 2015. Web. 03 Aug. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/world/asia/ chinas-island-building-is-ruining-coral-reefs-philippines-says.html?_r=0>. 21. Coral Triangle Initiative. “CORAL TRIANGLE FACTS, FIGURES, AND CALCULATIONS: Part II: Patterns of Biodiversity and Endemism.” (n.d.): n. pag. Coral Triangle Initiative, 16 Dec. 2008. Web 22. Coral Triangle Initiative. “CORAL TRIANGLE FACTS, FIGURES, AND CALCULATIONS: Part II: Patterns of Biodiversity and Endemism.” (n.d.): n. pag. Coral Triangle Initiative, 16 Dec. 2008. Web SOURCES

23. “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” (1982): n. pag. United Nations. Web. <http://www. un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf>. 24. “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” (1982): n. pag. United Nations. Web. <http://www. un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf>. Page 207. 25. “G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Maritime Security.” N.p., 11 Apr. 2016. Web. <http://www.mofa. go.jp/files/000147444.pdf>. 26. http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-court-south-china-sea-2016-8 27. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/world/asia/obama-xi-jinping-meeting-washington.html?_r=0 28.https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-deploys-missiles-in-south-china-sea-as-obama-meetsrivals/2016/02/17/83363326-3e1b-4461-b97f-13406f6d104c_story.html

65 SOURCES

SOURCES FOR GRAPHICS BY PAGE/SPREAD Table of Contents Image: Google Earth. The Mekong: https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/dataset_discovery/aster/aster_products_table/astgtm Resources: Deforestation: http://pub.iges.or.jp/modules/envirolib/upload/1503/attach/3ws-20-hirsch.pdf SOURCES

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mekong+forests&view=detailv2&&id=E0271D8ACCA0CB6ECE3F8858F337A1E98BB95392&selectedIndex=16&ccid=kXIu4oyq&simid=608023535818048469&thid=OIP.M91722ee28caa03a1b40c9a4d850838c9o0&ajaxhist=0 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/may/02/greater-mekong-forest-cover Oil Basins: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/ofr-97-470/OF97-470F/aspac2.html Power: http://theodora.com/pipelines/asia_oil_and_gas_pipelines_map.jpg Cambodia Transmission Lines: https://hub.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/3s-rivers-under-threat-understating-new-threats-and-challenges-hydropower-development-biodiversity-and-community-rights-3s-river-basin/26-transmission-lines Thailand Transmission Lines: http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/thailand/thainationalelectricitygrid.shtml Vietnam Transmission Lines: http://www.power-technology.com/projects/ban-ve-hydro/ban-ve-hy-

dro5.html Laos Transmission Lines: http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/laos/laotiannationalelectricitygrid.shtml

China Transmission Lines: http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/china/chinesenationallectricitygrid.shtml Malaysia Transmission Lines: http://www.slideshare.net/aqeelahamzah/project-report-latest Dam Placement: https://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/246/megadams-drown-out-small-victories-in-theupper-mekong Ownership: Cambodia: http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2010/05/slick-money-in-cambodias-oil-sector.html Thailand: http://www.oilandgasonline.com/doc/gulf-of-thailand-now-enjoying-renewed-activit-0001 Vietnam: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/64727/SOCO_Partners_Start_Up_Production_at_Vietnams_CNV_Field Myanmar: http://www.oilseedcrops.org/2013/03/13/4433/ EEZs: http://www.therealnewsmatters.com/2016/04/war-is-coming-to-asia-httpwww.html Reclamation: Initial Image: From: Watkins, Derek. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea.â&#x20AC;? Nytimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/world/asia/what-china67

SOURCES

Myanmar Transmission Lines: http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/myanmar-burma/graphics/GridMap-myanmar-burma.gif

has-been-building-in-the-south-china-sea.html>. Reefs and Islands: Section Diagrams: http://darwin-online.org.uk/converted/pdf/1842_Coral_F271.pdf http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/38/9/855/F2.expansion.html http://www.uq.edu.au/_School_Science_Lessons/Soils2.html http://globalgeology.blogspot.com/2011/08/accretionary-wedge-37-crazy-coral.html http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?pageseq=224&itemID=F271&viewtype=text Dredger: http://www.dredging.org/documents/ceda/downloads/vlasblom1-introduction-to-dredging-equipment.pdf Legislation: SOURCES

UN Document: “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” (1982): n. pag. United Nations. Web. <http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf G7 Document: “G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Maritime Security.” N.p., 11 Apr. 2016. Web. <http://www. mofa.go.jp/files/000147444.pdf>. Reef Maps: http://defence.pk/threads/south-china-sea-news-discussions.196058/page-164 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Llpcqp-rgk/UdaVvP7eQhI/AAAAAAAAFxc/GI0LBOMtMho/s1600/Spratly+islands.png Reef Tracings: West London Reef: http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/jajakaka1/media/great%20reef_zpsgxzzquam.jpg.html Pearson Reef: https://i1.w p.com/static1.businessinsider.com/image/5739f93f910584155c8c2f20-1200/pearson-reef-2014-2016.jpg Cuarteron Reef: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2015/03/Cuarteron-reef-China-reclamation-South-Chi-

na-Sea.jpeg Hughes Reef: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2015/03/Hughes-reef-China-reclamation-South-China-Sea. jpeg Gaven Reef: http://amti.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/B1_annot.jpg Sin Cowe Island: http://amti.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C2_edit-copy.jpg Sand Cay Island: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/world/asia/what-china-has-been-buildingin-the-south-china-sea.html?_r=0 Images next to Axon: https://amti.csis.org/fiery-cross-reef-tracker/#bwg2/266

https://amti.csis.org/fiery-cross-reef-tracker/#bwg2/273 https://amti.csis.org/fiery-cross-reef-tracker/#bwg2/274 Rogue Reef Intro Image: Boats: http://greenlinehybrid.si/Greenline-48-specifications http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/Soviet_Merchant_Shipbuilding_before_WW2 Masquerade: Advertisements: kurakuraresort.com http://www.soneva.com/uploads/wysiwyg/pdfs/001_SKR_Excersion_May16.pdf http://www.sixsenses.com/assets/six_senses_gyro/content/downloadables/8262_SS_Con_Dao_Brochure_ V11.pdf

SOURCES

https://amti.csis.org/fiery-cross-reef-tracker/#bwg2/267

Coral Cove Advertisement 1: Water: http://igrejadasaguas.org.br/encontros/mergulhando-na-palavra/ Coral: http://stockarch.com/images/nature/underwater/coral-background-2417 Scuba Divers: http://www.nvr2lte.com/#!top-stories/qorvu http://neptunecharlies.squarespace.com/adventures/scuba-diving/destination-diving Boat: http://turtleandray.com/en/?portfolio=boat-free-download-picture Coral Cove Advertisement 2: Jet Ski Police: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1629350_Goofiest_Police_Vehicles_.html&page=3 Dinghy: http://www.visitgozo.com/en/item/water-sports/self-drive-dinghiboat-rentals-4709/ SOURCES

Yacht: http://www.boardingramp.com/ Soldier: http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2010/09/17/big-chip-gamble-in-afghanistan/ People: http://www.chron.com/slideshows/news/slideshow/Summertime-is-tubing-time-82590/photo-6069493.php Water: https://pixabay.com/en/horizon-ocean-sea-sky-orange-918494/ Coral Cove Advertisement 3: People: http://i.imgur.com/4RqE7QL.jpg Dinghy: http://www.visitgozo.com/en/item/water-sports/self-drive-dinghiboat-rentals-4709/ Wood: http://www.mb3d.co.uk/mb3d/Wood_Seamless_and_Tileable_High_Res_Textures_files/wood_ planks_03_1.jpg Water: http://7-themes.com/6805325-perfect-wallpaper.html

Diurnal/Nocturnal Spreads: Water: http://7-themes.com/6805325-perfect-wallpaper.html Yacht: http://www.boardingramp.com/ Yacht 2: https://www.airbnb.fr/rooms/13990240 Large Boat: http://www.123rf.com/photo_23285983_small-cargo-ship-delivering-goods-and-leaving-fromthe-harbor.html Large Boat (Right): http://www.keyword-suggestions.com/c21hbGwgY2FyZ28gc2hpcHM/ Seagrass: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jBMn3kf1rpk/T4Uu1rz_tII/AAAAAAAAAE4/h4Cx7AfLl3A/ s1600/219-1942_IMG.jpg

Miscellaneous Fish: https://www.google.com/search?q=reef+fish&tbm=isch&imgil=Fjrs1Tp2y3IK6M%253A%253ByX7IESk9WH9xLM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.dreamstime.com%25252Froyalty-free-stock-photo-tropical-reef-fish-image11316385&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Fjrs1Tp2y3IK6M%253A%252CyX7IESk9WH9xLM%252C_&usg=__7xlT_r59GhC0_H64Mt7IuTcd09A%3D&biw=1278&bih=713&ved=0ahUKEwjKjfi81dfNAhXK3YMKHYTPA2kQyjcIOA&ei=Ajd5V8qED8q7jwSEn4_IBg#tbm=isch&q=angelfish&imgrc=-2ro-Zl-1qJdTM%3A http://www.adventurenation.com/blog/netrani-island-scuba-diving-in-india/ Jelly Fish: http://www.tianxinqi.com/news/Green-Jellyfish50dssogaxx Tuna: http://wallpaper.pickywallpapers.com/1680x1050/underwater-tuna-world.jpg Mother and Son: Workers: http://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/photo/construction-workers-at-the-end-of-the-day-high-res-stockphotography/83455064

SOURCES

Coral: //stockarch.com/images/nature/underwater/coral-background-2417

http://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detail/%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F/construction-workers-carrying-materials-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9 %E3%83%88/83455076 http://www.loupiote.com/photos/6499076863.shtml Tripod Gun: http://centermassinc.com/sniper-weapon-tripod-kit Scientist: https://nl.dreamstime.com/royalty-vrije-stock-fotografie-bedrijfsmens-die-een-doos-dragen-image32122177 Chairs: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/couple-in-silhouette-sitting-in-folding-chairs-on-beachstock-footage/rbrp01710 https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-four-chair-umbrella-beach-image5868078 Box: https://cometococo.com/category/home/page/3/ SOURCES

Jet Ski: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1629350_Goofiest_Police_Vehicles_.html&page=3 Shark: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Whitetip_reef_shark.JPG http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2004/10/0_49bb5a1a1dd7128cea5fbd1de2f87e22.jpg Octopus: http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2016/03/octopus-brain.jpg.662x0_q70_crop-scale.jpg Divers: http://www.tinybubblesscuba.com/scuba-dive-maui-scooter-dive/ http://www.orbacostablanca.co.uk/holiday.htm http://www.tripplatform.com/blog/?tag=scuba-diving Soldiers: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paratrooper_from_2_Para_Keeps_Watch_from_the_Roof_of_a_ Compound_in_Afghanistan_MOD_45153296.jpg

http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2010/09/17/big-chip-gamble-in-afghanistan/ Darwin Quotes: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12793.Charles_Darwin Epilogue: Headlines: http://breakingdefense.com/2015/11/absolute-nightmare-as-chinese-destroy-south-china-reefs-asian-fishstocks-at-risk/ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/world/asia/chinas-island-building-is-ruining-coral-reefs-philippines-says.html http://www.livescience.com/25870-china-coral-reefs.html http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/satellite-images-show-ecocide-in-the-south-china-sea/ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34853878