Sulawesi-Maluku's Coral Reef Eco-Region Severely Damaged

Makassar, S Sulawesi, Oct 2 (Antara) - Fifty percent of coral reefs in Sulawesi-Maluku eco-region are severely damaged, Head of the Eco-region Management Center (PPE) for Sulawesi-Maluku Darhamsyah said here Thursday. "Some areas in Sulawesi and Maluku, such as the coastal regions in North Sulawesi and Teluk Ambon, are contaminated," he added. According to him, among the main factors damaging the coral reefs are fishing activities that use destructive tools and materials, disposal of domestic waste in the sea, and reclamation without considering the environmental impact. Head of Space and Natural Resources Control Muhammad Nur said that only 25 percent of the coral reefs left are in good condition. "Using bombs and poison for fishing is the main reason for the damage of the coral reefs. The damage at the Sulawesi-Maluku eco-region has reached 80 percent," he said. The Eco-region Management Center has conducted a variety of programs, such as the Clean and Healthy Small Islands program, to preserve the coral reefs. "We implemented the program two years ago -- the pilot project on Barang Lompo and Badi Islands and Spermonde Islands in Makassar," Nur stated, adding that the program trained the people living on the small islands to manage their domestic waste. The institution also involves the local communities in replanting the coral reefs, he added.