Coral reef protection plan in the offing<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Three private organizations are joining forces
\nto help the government stem the fishing practices destroying
\nIndonesia's coral reefs.<\/p>\n
The United States-based Nature Conservancy, its Indonesian
\nsister organization, the Pusaka Alam Foundation, and the Wallacea
\nDevelopment Institute signed an agreement on Sunday on stopping
\nthe degradation of Indonesian reefs caused by the use of cyanide
\nin fishing.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. (ret.) Hasnan Habib, a former Indonesian ambassador
\nwho heads the Pusaka Alam foundation, underlined the need for
\nIndonesia, the government and the public alike, to protect the
\ncountry's coral reefs.<\/p>\n
He hailed the agreement as a major step toward eliminating the
\nconstraints of a lack of skill, technology and financial
\nresources.<\/p>\n
Representing the Wallacea Development Institute is Ibnu
\nSutowo, a former president of the state oil company Pertamina,
\nwhile Nature Conservancy was represented by the chairman of its
\nboard of governors, Joe Williams.<\/p>\n
Also present at the signing ceremony at the Jakarta Hilton
\nInternational were Minister of Forestry Djamaludin
\nSuryohadikusumo, Japanese ambassador Taizo Watanabe, British
\nAmbassador Graham Burton and Maj. Gen. Tuk Setyohadi, the
\nchairman of the Indonesian Fishermen's Association.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the three organizations will launch a
\nyear-long campaign to raise public awareness of coral reef
\ndegradation caused by harmful fishing practices.<\/p>\n
In Indonesian waters, these practices are often carried out by
\nlocal fishermen employed by foreign fishing companies, or the
\ncrews of foreign fishing boats. The use of cyanide for catching
\nthe Napoleon wrasse fish and groupers is common among Indonesian
\nfishermen.<\/p>\n
Reef fish are a delicacy among Asians. According to Nature
\nConservancy, conservative estimates of the annual export and
\nimport of wild-caught live reef fish in the region range between
\n20,000 and 25,000 tons. The figure excludes the domestic market
\nin exporting countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and the
\nPhilippines.<\/p>\n
The worst fishing method involves pumping hundreds of tons of
\ncyanide into coral reef communities each year. Target fish
\nstunned by this poison are captured, then revived, and held in
\nfloating pens until they are shipped to market by air in
\nspecially-designed ships carrying up to 20 tons of live fish.<\/p>\n
Ibnu Sutowo said he has challenged the state minister of
\nresearch and technology to come up with an alternative method of
\nfishing in coral reefs that is not destructive.<\/p>\n
E. Siswoyo, a member of the Wallacea Development Institute's
\nexecutive committee, told The Jakarta Post that the campaign is
\nparticularly aimed at the local fishermen who are being "used" by
\nforeign companies and also at government officials.<\/p>\n
Siswoyo said most of the fishing companies and boats that use
\ndestructive fishing practices are from Taiwan, Hong Kong and
\nSingapore, he said. "The irony is that they pay local fishermen
\nto do the dangerous parts of the fishing," he said.<\/p>\n
Most of these foreign fishing companies are after the Napoleon
\nwrasse fish which fetches US$20 per kilogram abroad. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/coral-reef-protection-plan-in-the-offing-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}