Bengkulu coral reef damaged

Bengkulu coral reef damaged

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Coral reefs near Tikus and Enggano islands
here have been seriously damaged due to fish bombing, Antara
reported yesterday.

A local fisheries official, Roebimin Wibisono, said the
destruction had pushed much marine life to the brink of
extinction.

"Too much damage to the coral reef could cause the extinction
of some species," he said.

It would take a long time for the coral to grow back, he
added.

"Research shows that new coral grows at a rate of one
centimeter every 11 years," he said.

Roebimin said his office had been trying to replace the
destroyed reef with a manmade reef called "rumpon locally.

So far there have been 19 rumpons in the locations where the
coral has been damaged.