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)