Coral Reef Development Not Maximal

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government is considered to have not maximally developed the coral reef triangle initiative region. Head of the Research Agency at the Maritime and Fisheries Department, Gellwynn Jusuf, said that government only develops the potential of fisheries in this region. While actually there is also potential for marine tourism, said Gellwynn yesterday (29/3).The coral triangle initiative region includes Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and Salomon islands, and amounts to 75,000 square kilometers in total. In Indonesia alone, it amounts to 51,000 square kilometers, or 65 percent of the total triangle area. With this size, there is potential for marine tourism. Wakatobi, Raja Ampat, and Bunaken could be developed, said Gellwynn. He mentioned that the triangle at the present can create a profit of US$2.3 billion per year. Mostly, this comes from fish sales to China and Japan (US$800 million).Gellwynn also suggested the government to build greater awareness about coral reef preservation. Through the Coral Triangle Initiative Summit in Maluku in May this year, we plan to discuss about having national activities to save the coral, he said. Meanwhile, director of the Indonesian environment forum (Walhi), Berry Nahdian Forqan, said that fishermen should be involved in any activities to save coral reefs. Berry believes that traditional fishermen --when they are given opportunities-- are capable to protect certain region. Sea is a place for them to survive, he said. Fishermen can detect and report the damage earlier. Regarding marine tourism, Berry emphasized integration. When one region turns into a tourism area but other areas are still waste dumps, the coral will still be destructed, he said. REH ATEMALEM SUSANTI