BPPP KKP Ambon campaigns against waste dumping in Ambon Bay
Ambon - The Training and Extension Centre for Fisheries (BPPP) of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) in Ambon is intensifying campaigns against dumping waste into the sea in the Ambon Bay area as an effort to protect the marine conservation region from environmental damage.
Head of BPPP KKP Ambon, Abubakar, in Ambon on Thursday, stated that the campaign targets all communities near the coast, fishermen, and business actors around Ambon Bay who have been active close to the water areas.
“We continue to provide education and socialisation to the community so as not to throw rubbish into the sea, because this is very dangerous for the sustainability of the ecosystem, especially in the Ambon Bay conservation area,” he said.
Ambon Bay is a strategic area with high ecological value, including as a habitat for various marine biota and a buffer zone for coastal ecosystems that needs to be maintained sustainably, he explained.
According to him, the campaign is carried out through direct extension activities, installation of advisory banners, utilisation of social media, as well as beach cleaning activities involving fishermen’s groups, students, and local communities.
A participatory approach is key so that the community has awareness and shared responsibility in maintaining sea cleanliness, he added.
Furthermore, he explained that dumping rubbish into the sea, especially in areas close to settlements like Ambon Bay, can cause various serious impacts, including seawater pollution, coral reef damage, and disruption to fish habitats and other biota.
“Plastic waste, for example, can break down into microplastics which then enter the marine food chain and ultimately endanger human health,” he said.
In addition, accumulated organic waste in the waters can trigger a decrease in oxygen levels, thus causing mass fish deaths, while non-organic waste can pollute the waters in the long term.
Abubakar also emphasised that such conditions have the potential to economically harm coastal communities, due to declining fish catches and reduced attractiveness of the area for tourism activities.
Therefore, he said BPPP KKP Ambon encourages the implementation of community-based waste management, such as sorting waste at the source, reducing the use of single-use plastics, and strengthening waste transportation systems in coastal areas.
“We hope that through this campaign, public awareness will increase so that Ambon Bay remains clean and its marine ecosystem is preserved for future generations,” he said.