Garbage destroying Seribu Islands reefs
Garbage destroying Seribu Islands reefs
JAKARTA (JP): Trash dumping by Jakartans has caused the
pollution of Jakarta Bay and destroyed coral reefs around the
Seribu Islands, an oceanologist has said.
"These conclusion have been proved by experts from Australia,
Papua New Guinea, the U.S., Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the
Philippines, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Indonesia,"
J.R.E. Harger of UNESCO said on Wednesday.
As many as 27 experts from all over the world met in Jakarta,
from Sept. 11 to Sept. 20, to research the problems of coral reef
destruction in the Jakarta Bay and its surrounding islands.
He added that the destruction of the reefs could lead to
social problems since it was related to human attitudes in
treating natural resources.
Harger said the condition of the reefs around the Seribu
Islands was getting worse because the waters were also being
polluted by cyanide and dynamite, used for catching fish.
Pilfering of corals and the increase in population were further
factors contributing to the damage.
"Ten years ago I dived about 30 meters deep in the Seribu
Island waters and the condition of the corals was still 90
percent good. Now, only about 5 percent is still good," Harger
was quoted by Antara as saying.
"The decrease in the population of the Napoleon fish species,
which eats Crown of Thorn fish, also caused destruction," he
said.
"Only the reefs around Kotok Island and Putri Island are still
in good condition," Harger said.
Meanwhile, an Indonesian expert from the Indonesian Institute
of Sciences, Soekarno, said that special measures must be taken
to preserve the reefs because the populations of the species are
difficult to restore.
"The coral needs certain conditions, especially with regard to
temperature and quality of the water, to be a suitable habitat,"
he said.
Soekarno said he was concerned that diving activities in the
area also contributed to the destruction process.
"Many amateur divers destroy the corals because they do not
know how to treat them," he said, adding that special licensees
should be required to dive in the area. (01)