Seaweb: Set up authority to look after coral reefs

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 3rd May 2013

 By SONIA KENU

PAPUA New Guinea is blessed with a diversity of coral reefs but the government has not established an authority to look after its coral reef systems, an ecology group says. 

Seaweb country programme manager Anaseini Vesikula Ban told participants at its awareness programme workshop yesterday that many local people did not understand the role of coral reefs in the marine ecosystem. 

“It is important to understand coral biology and ecology because living creatures beneath the water depend on each other,” he said.

 “A coral is made up of tiny meat eating micro organisms called polyps that live in large groups in a hard skeleton called the reef, and a million of these skeletons form the coral reef. 

“Coral reefs provide a habitat for marine organisms to live, hunt and reproduce, in turn provide food and income for the community livelihood and most importantly it provides a barrier for strong winds and tidal wave. 

“We can put a ban on beche-de-mer but people will go ahead and cut mangroves or destroy corals which provide the habitat. 

“Papua New Guinea is blessed with a diversity of coral reefs but the government has not established a body and capacity to look after its coral reef system. 

“Working in Kimbe for the last 10 years I learnt that there were over 400 species of coral in Kimbe Bay alone.

“Until now I’m not sure if the number has increased or decreased.  

“The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is a world Heritage and is taken care of by the government of Australia who pays workers to do the job.”