Government ourged to take action for better reef management<\/p>\n
By Edith Hartanto<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): A call for immediate action in management
\nand policy to prevent coral destruction was made at the closing
\nof the Ninth International Symposium on Coral Reefs on Friday,
\ndemanding that governments and international agencies make a
\nstrong commitment to saving the world's environmental heritage.<\/p>\n
\"In Indonesia, explosives and cyanide as well as massive sea
\npollution are indisputably the biggest threat to coral reefs,\"
\nSuharsono, an expert on coral reefs from the Indonesian Institute
\nof Science (LIPI) and one of the symposium organizers told The
\nJakarta Post, after the closing of a one-week conference at
\nSheraton Nusa Dua.<\/p>\n
\"All of this time we've only developed a local community
\napproach to saving coral reefs but actually the ones that have to
\nbe approached are nomad fishermen such as those from Buton, Bugis
\nand Makassar,\" Suharsono explained.<\/p>\n
\"When I went diving, dynamite blasts could be heard a few
\ntimes in just one minute underwater. It's terrible,\" he said.<\/p>\n
That is why, besides the management factor, the regulations
\nand enforcement must be conducted seriously.<\/p>\n
\"Police can never get solid evidence in the case of
\nenvironmental damage due to the fact that it is usually a
\ncollective action,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The existing data shows that Indonesia is home to some 85,000
\nsquare kilometers of coral reef, 40 percent of which are badly
\ndamaged and only some 6.5 percent are in excellent condition.<\/p>\n
In a bid to obtain accurate data of the country's sea
\nheritage, LIPI in cooperation with the Center for Sea and Geology
\nand the National Aviation and Aviation Institute (LAPAN) are
\ncurrently conducting coral reef mapping as well as measuring the
\nline of the country's sea zone and the exact number of islands.<\/p>\n
\"We are using more accurate technology and satellite data. So
\nfar we have completed the mapping of five islands, namely
\nSumatra, Java, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and
\nSulawesi,\" Suharsono explained.<\/p>\n
The remaining three are Kalimantan, Maluku and Irian Jaya,
\nwhich are expected to be completed in March next year. \"By May
\n2001 we hope to present holistic data as national data,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The other important factor regarding the destruction of the
\ncoral is coral bleaching which results from global climate change
\ndue to the impact of greenhouses emissions.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the meeting urged governments and international
\nagencies to have the strong political will to enforce the
\nconcrete actions suggested by the United Nations Framework
\nConvention on Climate Change and to release funding to mitigate
\nthe impacts and advance the understanding of bleaching.<\/p>\n
Immediate critical management responses raised at the
\nsymposium include the halting of activities that may damage the
\nremaining live coral, revising the location and boundaries of
\nmarine reserves and parks to ensure remaining coral reefs are
\nstrictly protected and facilitating the regeneration of affected
\nreefs by reducing over-fishing, pollution and other impacts of
\nland-based activities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-ourged-to-take-action-for-better-reef-management-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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