Saving Bali's pristine reef through reef check program<\/p>\n
By I Wayan Juniartha<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): A growing involvement of amateur divers
\nand dive operators highlighted the Reef Check Bali 2000, an
\nannual event aimed at monitoring the present condition of Bali's
\nmost precious coral reef.<\/p>\n
Organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Wallacea
\nBioregion-Bali, this's year event attracted voluntary
\nparticipation of at least 35 amateur divers who came from every
\nwalk of life. These divers admitted that the event gave them a
\ndeeper understanding on the need of conserving coral reef.<\/p>\n
\"It presented me with the fact that we can, no matter how
\nsmall, do something to protect and conserve this beautiful
\nnatural heritage of ours,\" volunteer Retty Chijanto said.<\/p>\n
Retty, a stationery section manager at one of the biggest
\nbookshops in Bali, confessed that not until she was briefed by
\nthe WWF trainers on the damages sustained by Bali's coral reef
\nand then later witnessed the damages on the spot, that she
\nrealize that all divers must do their part in the efforts to save
\nthe coral reef.<\/p>\n
\"I am glad that I have done my part and I will do it again
\nwhenever the WWF needs me,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The amateur diver's growing enthusiasm was well matched by
\nseveral Bali-based dive operators, who offered increasing support
\nto the program. In this year's program twelve dive operators,
\nnamely Waka Dive, Matahari Beach Resort Dive, YOS Marine
\nAdventure, PRO Dive, Bali Hai Diving Adventure, Nusa Penida Dive,
\nDunia Selam Lembongan, AquaPro, Spice Dive, Bali International
\nDiving Professional, Quicksilver and Bali Safari Dive provided
\ndiving guides, equipment and board and lodging for all the
\nvolunteers.<\/p>\n
\"Their commitment and awareness keep increasing by the year,
\nand we truly appreciate the great contribution they have made to
\nthe program,\" the Reef Check Bali 2000 coordinator Made Iwan
\nDewantama said.<\/p>\n
Dewantama recalled how in the previous reef checks it was the
\nWWF's staff that did most of the job. But, now, he said, WWF is
\nmostly acting as a facilitator in the program.<\/p>\n
Dewantama also noted the rising awareness among the coastal
\nvillages' fishermen on the importance of coral reef conservation.
\nRecently dozens of a North Bali coastal village fishermen, fully
\narmed with blades and sticks, scared away a group of fishermen
\nwho were doing fish bombing in the area.<\/p>\n
\"Although we do not condone such violent actions, we do
\nbelieve that the incident signified a major shift in thinking
\namong our fishermen. More and more fishermen now understand that
\nthe coral reef's condition directly affects the number of fish in
\nthe sea,\" Dewantama said, adding that the fishermen must conserve
\nthe coral reef in order to protect the supply of fish, their
\nsource of living.<\/p>\n
The Reef Check Bali 2000 was conducted from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19
\nat nine dive sites in Buleleng regency (Menjangan island and
\nPemuteran beach), Karangasem regency (Amed beach), Klungkung
\nregency (Nusa Lembongan island and Nusa Penida island) and
\nDenpasar municipality (Sanur beach).<\/p>\n
Dewantama explained that except for Toyapakeh dive site on
\nNusa Penida island, the coral reef of which had been observed
\nsince Reef Check Bali 1997, all the other sites were observed for
\nthe first time in this year's reef check.<\/p>\n
\"So all we have is the initial raw data which would not give
\nus any information on whether the coral reef's condition is
\nimproving or deteriorating,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yet, the data showed that fish bombing caused damages,
\nindicated by the coral rubble spotted during the check at many
\ndive sites.<\/p>\n
The worst damaged sites by this illegal fishing method are the
\nMenjangan island dive site, with 38.8 percent of coral rubble
\nrate at 3 meters depth and 1.9 percent of coral rubble rate at 10
\nm depth; and Amed beach, which had 42.5 percent of coral rubble
\nrate at 3 m depth and 23.1 percent of coral rubble rate at 10 m
\ndepth.<\/p>\n
\"Various kinds of coral reef fishes were found but in very
\nlimited numbers and in small sizes. Napoleon Wrasse fish and
\nBumphead Parrotfish were only found in dive sites in Nusa Penida
\nisland, while lobsters and sea cucumbers were not found at any of
\nthe sites,\" Dewantama told, adding that those were obvious signs
\nof deterioration of Bali's coral reef.<\/p>\n
Dewantama believed that the survival of Bali's coral reef
\nwould depend a lot on the ability of NGO's such as WWF in raising
\npeople's awareness, creating feasible conservation programs and
\nin working together with government agencies and the people to
\nconserve the age-old ecological treasure.<\/p>\n
\"The growing enthusiasm and commitment among amateur divers
\nand dive operators to join our program have made me believe that
\nit is still possible to save the coral reef,\" he said
\noptimistically.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/saving-balis-pristine-reef-through-reef-check-program-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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