Fish are fighting for food due to lifeless coral: Global warming-induced loss of coral reefs is driving fish to unnecessarily fight for food, according to research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Butterfly fish are severely impacted by coral bleaching because they are heavily dependent on the marine fauna for survival, hence increased battles for food have been observed around scarce corals off the coast of Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Christmas Island.

How can researchers identify fish skirmishes? Butterfly fish signal defensive and aggressive behavior by raising their spinal dorsal fins, and directing their nostrils in a downward position, the researchers explain. Prior to record coral reef losses in 2016, the marine biologists observed that butterfly fish of varying species were able to resolve food-related altercations nearly 28% of the time, with that number plummeting by 18% post-2016, indicating a clear tendency for violence over diminishing food resources, they note in their study.

Our corals are also at risk: The Arabian Gulf water temperature is expected to rise by 4.26°C by 2039, resulting in devastating effects on marine biology including coral bleaching. Egypt’s Ras Shukeir oil terminal was reported to be dumping “barely treated wastewater” in the Red Sea and endangering coral reefs, jeopardizing the survival of the sea fauna and those dependent on it.

But there’s a silver lining for the UAE: An Abu Dhabi marine restoration project has been selected by the UN as one of 10 World Restoration Flagships. The project aims to restore beds of seagrass, coral reefs and mangroves along the Gulf coast to boost coastal resilience, improving conditions for plants and animals — including some 500 species of fish.