Lagoon marine life under threat

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday June 26th, 2013

 HUMAN actions pose threats to Madang lagoon’s marine life despite the discovery of new marine animal species there, a scientist says.

Prof Pilippe Bouchet, who led a four-month expedition last year to Madang to study the lagoon’s marine life, said this when presenting his findings last Friday at the Divine Word University.

He presented photographs that revealed the increasing amount of garbage and ooze from rainwater sediments in the Madang lagoon.   

“There is also quite an amount of different kinds of woods on the shallow waters of Madang lagoon,” Bouchet said, adding that some could have slipped off logging ships.

He said people in Madang should be aware that their irresponsible actions contributed to the destruction of their once-exotic marine environment.

Madang Resort Hotel owner Sir Peter Barter, who was a guest at the presentation, expressed concern over the findings.

He said something needed to be done to protect the marine environment from further destruction.

“I come here to collect facts and make a report. But it’s up to the people and government to act,” Bouchet said.