REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Executive Secretary General of People Coalition for Fisheries Justice (Kiara) Arman Manila said it needed half a century to restore the coral reef crashed by Caledonian Sky cruise ship in Raja Ampat.  "You can imagine, it needs half a century to restore the coral reef in Raja Ampat,” said Arman on Thursday.

According to Arman, there were 526.6 million tons of carbon could not be absorbed by the coral reef. It would be released to the atmosphere for fifty years.

Arman said it was accumulative. He gave an example that annually there were 10.5 million tons of carbons released to the atmosphere. The coral reef was a part of the coastal ecosystem that could absorb 65.7 million tons of carbon per year.

Kiara’s Center of Data and Information noted in 2017 that the damage of 1.600 square meters of coral reefs in Raja Ampat impacted on the release of 10.512.000 tons per year of carbon emission to the atmosphere.

He added that, although the coral reef had a great ability to absorb the carbon, it has very poor ability to restore the carbon in his storage. The rehabilitation process needed a very long time. Therefore, the problem of coral reef damages could not be solved only by giving money compensation.

“Coral reef best growth was only five centimeter per year. It was depended on the natural condition like the sea water,” said the Director General of Marine Management in the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Brahmantya Satyamurti Poerwadi in a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Brahmantya said a preliminary study showed the crash impacted on the damage of various preserved coral reef. The affected coral reef was immediately got a special intervention and the restoration budget had been prepared.

The incident had multiplier effects. It would impact the tourism sector in Raja Ampat, West Papua. Therefore, the ministry would evaluate the revenue of the tourism sector in the area after the crash.

Brahmantya believed the incident was only impacted the coral reef, but other elements of life. The compensation would be detailed, for example in the calculation of the coral reef restoration.

Previously, a British cruise ship Caledonian sky with Keith Michael Taylor as its captain crashed the protected coral reef in Raja Ampat on Saturday. Preliminary investigation by the government showed 1.600 square meter of coral reef damaged on the incident. It was one of the most coral reef area in the world and became a center of marine biodiversity.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika