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.