'Coral reefs deteriorate from natural causes'

'Coral reefs deteriorate from natural causes'

JAKARTA (JP): The quality of coral reefs around the Seribu
Islands in North Jakarta has deteriorated due to natural causes
and not because of pollution, an expert said.

Dr. T.M. Williams, a geochemist from the British Geological
Survey, said yesterday there was no sufficient evidence to
conclude that the damage was caused by pollution.

"Based on a research study conducted by the University of
Newcastle, U.K. around 1990, the damage was due to natural causes
such as climate," Williams said.

He said, however, it was difficult to determine the exact
cause of the damage, although it seems that natural causes --
such as a change in water temperature -- have destroyed the
reefs.

Last year, experts from Australia, Papua New Guinea, the U.S
and Cambodia said that garbage dumped by Jakartans had polluted
Jakarta Bay and destroyed coral reefs around the Seribu Islands.

The research conducted by the experts was funded by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It was
discovered that only 5 percent of the coral reefs were still in
good condition, compared to 90 percent 10 years ago.

Williams said another factor which made it difficult to
determine the cause was a lack of data. He said the latest data
on coral reefs or other marine biota in Jakarta Bay and around
the Seribu Islands was outdated.

"The research was conducted about 10 years ago, and it showed
that the condition of marine biota in Jakarta Bay and the Seribu
Islands was quite satisfactory," he said.

Williams said that for this reason, the United Kingdom
Development Administration is conducting a land-ocean
contamination study in Jakarta Bay and around the Seribu Islands.

He said the research, which began in June this year, is aimed
at constructing a detailed picture of the sources, transport
pathway and ecological impacts of contaminants entering the
waters of Jakarta Bay.

"Then we can form quantitative data on marine biota, as well
as form a standard pollution monitoring system," he said.

The research is also being conducted in Mexico, Brazil and
East Africa. In Jakarta, it is conducted in cooperation with the
National Institute of Sciences.

Dedy Setiapermana, a researcher at the institute, said that
all data collected will be stored in a computer data base and can
be used to form an environmental management system in the future.

He said the research also aimed at identifying the existing
conflict between coastal-zone pollution and social economic
activities to form programs to protect the marine biota in the
area.

Williams said the researchers have completed collecting
samples, such as water, from 60 locations in the Seribu Islands
and Jakarta Bay. (yns)