Antara 21 May 09;
Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Around 55 percent of coral reefs in South Sulawesi waters are damaged due to destructive fishing practices by fishermen.
The use of explosives to catch fish has damaged marine ecosystem, including coral reefs at Takabonerate marine park, in Selayar Island District, South Sulawesi Province, Iskandar, head of the South Sulawesi marine and fishery service, said here on Wednesday.
The condition of the coral reefs in the national marine park was bad and only 45 percent of them were in good state, he said.
The Destructive fishing practices not only destroying the coral reefs at Takabonerate but also other marine species, he said.
The Indonesian Naval personnel had arrested fishermen in South Sulawesi waters for using bombs to catch fish, he said.
Takabonerate is considered the world`s third most beautiful marine park and has received an award from the World Ocean Conference (WOC) which was held in Manado, North Sulawesi, May 11-15, 2009.
Meanwhile, six heads of state/government participating in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit organized as part of the WOC, signed a declaration here on May 15, 2009, approving the CTI Program.
Under the cooperation the six countries located on the 5.7 million square kilometers area agreed to coordinate protection of marine resources.
With its width only two percent of the world`s ocean, the Coral Triangle is home to 76 percent of the world`s known coral species.
The region is full of various fish species because of its coral diversity. More than 120 million people directly depend their livelihood on the riches of the sea in the region.
The invaluable resources however are now under threat due to climate change, overfishing, illegal fishing, unsustainable coastal development and pollution.
All of them have caused a fish supply decline and destruction of mangrove forests in a large scale and degradation of coral system. (*)
