Tourists are Forbidden To Damage Coral Reefs: DKP

Padang, (Antara Sumbar) - The head of the Marine and Fisheries Service Office (DKP) of West Sumatra Yosmeri reminds tourists to do not damage the coral reefs because it can threaten the habitats that inhabit the region's marine waters.

"Coral reefs are home to other marine biota such as fish, lobsters, and shrimp. If marred, marine ecosystems will also become extinct," he said in Padang on Thursday.

According to him, when tourists do activities in the sea such as surfing or snorkeling, unconsciously they step on the coral reefs when they are standing, then it causes coral reefs broken.

Besides, there are also deliberately break it to be a photo object.

"Let us say one person broke one coral reef, if there are 500 people then the impact will be great," he noted.

To that end, it has done socialization to travel agents to remind visitors to do not take or step on the coral reefs.

"It should really start from yourself," he said.

The latest data recorded about 70 percent of more than 37 thousand hectares of coral reefs in the waters of West Sumatra was damaged.

Other causes of coral reef damage in West Sumatra due to the deposition and increased turbidity of waters in the coral ecosystem due to soil erosion on land, as well as excavation and mining activities around coral reefs.

In addition, the use of banned fishing gear such as explosives, toxic materials, trawling tigers also causes coral damage, but this is quite rare in West Sumatra, he said.

To overcome it, the government of West Sumatra prioritizes coral reef repairation.

The programs undertaken, among others, intensify coral reef transplantation program or coral reef planting in damaged areas.

While the coach of Student Activity Unit Diving Proklamator of Bung Hatta University Mabruri Tanjung conveyed the current process of coral reef transplantation in some areas of West Sumatra have shown good development.

"From planting in some waters of Padang, it has started to grow coral reefs planted in the framework made," he added. (cha)

Editor: Vicha Faradika