Shrimp ponds sweep away SE Sulawesi mangrove forests
Shrimp ponds sweep away SE Sulawesi mangrove forests
By Musadianto Madusila
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi (ANTARA): The mangrove forests along Southeast Sulawesi's coast have been a continuous target of illegal farmers wishing to convert the forests to shrimp ponds.
Shrimp ponds are a desired commodity because of the rising price of shrimp on the international market.
As the mangrove forests are cleared, the hard mangrove wood is used to make household utensils, as building material and firewood.
The mangrove forests, the biggest subsystem of the mangrove ecosystem, are home to various types of birds and sea creatures, including fish, shrimp, sea cucumbers and crabs, all of which have economic value.
The roots of the mangrove tree are capable of withstanding the waves along the coastal area, preventing the process of erosion.
According to a report by the Environmental Impact Control Agency in Southeast Sulawesi, thousands of hectares of mangrove forests in the province have "disappeared". In their place there is a growing number of shrimp ponds.
If this practice continues, the mangrove forests may vanish completely.
Mangrove forests generally grow along the coast or along river estuaries which are influenced by sea tides. Mangrove trees have managed to adapt morphologically and physiologically to areas of high salinity.
As a result of submersion in a high concentration of salinity, the roots of mangrove trees grow differently from the roots of other trees. The roots sprout from the branches of the mangrove trees and grow downward, giving them the appearance of hanging. Through a natural process, the roots grow into the soil to "protect" the coastline from erosion.
The roots of the mangrove tree, in addition to their role of protecting the coastline from erosion, are also capable of reducing the impact of waves.
The roots prevent mud from being carried off by the currents, so mangrove forests, which are generally flooded, can become solid land or undergo the process of "emerging land".
The process of emerging land is a slow one, unfolding over many years.
One example of this process is the land which emerged along the Musi River in Palembang, South Sumatra. A few years ago, the river ended along the coast, but is now dozens of kilometers from the coastline.
According to reports, land in the area is emerging at the rate of some 120 meters per year.
Apart from the roots of the mangrove trees, the rest of the trees also serve a function in the coastal ecosystem. The leaves of the tree fall into the water along the coast and serve as an important organic substance in the coastal food chain, particularly for marine organisms in the ecosystem.
Each year, organic substances from the mangrove trees reach seven to eight tons per hectare.
The head of the Southeast Sulawesi Fishery Agency, Faisal Shahab, recently said that shrimp pond operators in the area generally did not adhere to greenbelt regulations which govern the operation of shrimp ponds in the area.
"Government regulations on greenbelts stipulate that pond operators are not allowed to cultivate mangrove forest areas within a radius of 100 meters (of their ponds)," he said.
The radius is measured from the coastline in the direction of the mangrove forest during ebb tide.
The head of the Southeast Sulawesi Environmental Impact Management Agency, Said Awad, added that sanctions for violating this regulation are stipulated in article 41 of Law No. 23/1997 on the Management of the Environment.
The article states: "Whoever intentionally commits acts resulting in the pollution and or destruction of the environment (including mangrove forests), faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rp 500 million."
The sanctions are more severe -- 15 years imprisonment and a Rp 750 million fine -- if the impact of the environmental damage causes loss of life.