ID :
32532
Wed, 11/26/2008 - 16:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/32532
The shortlink copeid
CORAL REEFS IN BANGKA WATERS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED
Sungailiat, Bangka, Nov. 26 (ANTARA) - Coral reefs in Bangka District waters, especially around Toti Isle, have been seriously damaged due to the use of trawls by Thai fishermen in the waters in the past, according to local fishermen.
"Now, Thai fishing boats no longer operate in Bangka waters. But they have left us bearing the consequences of their fishing activities. The fish population has decreased significantly because coral reefs have been damaged," Syarifuddin, secretary of the Bangka chapter of the Indonesian Fishermen's Association (HNSI), said here on Wednesday.
He urged the central and local governments to build artificial coral reefs that could serve as fish habitats.
According to data compiled by the World Resources Institute, Indonesia is the largest archipelagic nation in the world, with a coastline stretching over 95,000 kilometers around more than 17,000 islands that are protected by large groups of coral reefs.
Indonesia is estimated to have approximately 51,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, meaning that 18 percent of the world's coral reefs are to be found in Indonesian waters.
Aside from their sheer magnitude, Indonesia's coral reefs are also among the most biologically rich in the world, containing an extraordinary array of plant and animal diversity.
However, Indonesia's rich supplies of corals and reef fish are endangered by destructive fishing practices such as cyanide and blast fishing, which have been banned by the government
"Now, Thai fishing boats no longer operate in Bangka waters. But they have left us bearing the consequences of their fishing activities. The fish population has decreased significantly because coral reefs have been damaged," Syarifuddin, secretary of the Bangka chapter of the Indonesian Fishermen's Association (HNSI), said here on Wednesday.
He urged the central and local governments to build artificial coral reefs that could serve as fish habitats.
According to data compiled by the World Resources Institute, Indonesia is the largest archipelagic nation in the world, with a coastline stretching over 95,000 kilometers around more than 17,000 islands that are protected by large groups of coral reefs.
Indonesia is estimated to have approximately 51,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, meaning that 18 percent of the world's coral reefs are to be found in Indonesian waters.
Aside from their sheer magnitude, Indonesia's coral reefs are also among the most biologically rich in the world, containing an extraordinary array of plant and animal diversity.
However, Indonesia's rich supplies of corals and reef fish are endangered by destructive fishing practices such as cyanide and blast fishing, which have been banned by the government
