By
DANIEL COONEY, Associated Press
NUSA DUA,
Indonesia - Half of the once-vast coral reefs that surrounded
the world's largest archipelago have been lost and international
aid is needed to save what remains, Indonesia said Tuesday.
Maritime Affairs
Minister Sarwono Kusmaatmadja said the government was so distracted
with crises such as separatist and religious violence that it
lacked the time and resources to protect the reefs, which make
up 14 percent of the world's coral.
"We need
assistance from other countries, such as patrol boats and scholarships
for our scientists," he said.
The reefs
bring in hundreds of millions of dollars every year in fishing
and tourism revenues needed in Indonesia's battle against its
worst financial crisis in a generation.
Kusmaatmadja
told hundreds of scientists at an international coral reef symposium
said that many reefs had been devastated by poor fishing practices,
including the use of explosives and poisons.
However, industrialized
countries must also accept responsibility for damage caused by
global warming, he said.
Scientists
at meeting on the island of Bali have said that an increase in
ocean and sea temperatures is largely to blame for much reef destruction
around the world.
Unless drastic
steps are taken to reverse the warming trend and curb pollution,
all reefs will be dead within 20 years, they said.
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