Mangrove for fishponds

PALANGKARAYA, Central Kalimantan: The provincial government is offering 70,240 hectares of mangroves to investors for brackish fishponds.

The local government's offer came after the State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja lamented the rapid loss of mangroves nationwide.

Chief of the local chapter of fishery office Djunaidi said Saturday that the mangroves were located in East and West Kotawaringin district as well as in Kapuas.

He said part of the mangrove areas had been concessioned to local investors but few of those had actually begun their projects, Antara reported. (pan)