ADB approves loan for coral reef rehabilitation

ADB approves loan for coral reef rehabilitation

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a US$33 million loan
for Indonesia to help improve the latter's capacity to manage and
rehabilitate damaged coral reefs and their ecosystems.

The loan was signed in Manila by ADB president Tadao Chino and
the Charge d' Affaires of Indonesia for the Philippines A.E.
Alexander Laturiuw last week.

In December last year, ADB also approved a $33 million loan
for the same purpose under the coral reef rehabilitation and
management project.

Focusing on districts in a few key provinces -- Riau, North
Sumatra and West Sumatra -- the project aims to improve
management of coral reef resources and rehabilitate coral reef
ecosystems to help raise income and living standards of residents
in the areas.

Those that stand to benefit directly include small fish
farmers, fish processors and other workers in the fishing
industry.

Currently, the bank reported that about 80 percent of the
population in the areas near the coral reefs live below the
poverty line.

The project also expects to address the issue that entrenched
poverty in Indonesia's coastal and marine sectors contributes
largely to the destruction of coral reefs.

Coral reefs in Indonesia are threatened by destructive and
illegal fishing practices, sand mining and coral mining.

The destruction of coral reefs has often resulted in sharp
drops in the variety and quantity of sea life.

Coral reefs are breeding and spawning grounds for fish and
other marine creatures.