Remember our other Environmental Jewel
MUARA, 08 June 2010,
Tuesday - FOR a while there observers would have thought Brunei
Darussalam's environmental jewels were all ensconced deep in the Borneo
rainforest. Things are likely to change though with the recent emphasis
on the Sultanate's marine biodiversity.
That Brunei's inventory of affluent marine life, particularly its coral
species, is not an inferior cousin to that of the Great Barrier Reef in
Australia must have been a fact that escaped many of us save for marine
biologists, members of the research community and scuba divers. From
today, however, we should no longer entertain ignorance as an excuse not
to be protective of our jewels that are hidden deep in the bosom of the
sea.
For any natural resource, mankind's awareness of it is always among keys
to helping it thrive. Awareness paves the way for actions that we need
to take as a manifestation of our responsibility and our capability to
remain efficient and effective stewards of Mother Nature's bounty.
The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources has emphasised a few of
the things that we need to do to protect our coral reefs, which may not
be as mammoth as the Great Barrier Reef but is home to an equally
stunning amount of reef species about 400 according to findings of coral
ecologists who studied our reefs for years.
This should rekindle our interest in and concern for our teeming marine
life. And this means rejecting previous practices that our government
deems as threats to the ability of our coral species to stay on for
future generations to appreciate.
Overfishing is one concern that has recently been highlighted by the
ministry. It and the use of illegal fishing methods have destroyed the
marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs and fisheries resources,
according to Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya
Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar in his World Oceans Day address on
Tuesday.
"The situation is worrying," he said. "The MIPR is currently reviewing
its policies and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that one of
the (nation's) food sources are safeguarded and (its) production
controlled for the sake of the country's food security."
Our confidence continues to reside in our government executives who have
been efficient in finding ways to get the members of the public to
appreciate the importance of our marine life and the urgency of taking
action to protect it from degradation.
The public's cooperation in this regard, however, is equally important.
Some of the measures the ministry's Fisheries Department will be
focusing on more intensely include moratoriums or temporary bans on
fishing in certain areas, and regular patrols and inspections of fishing
activities to ensure strict compliance with rules.
Regulation of fishing activities becomes increasingly vital in view of
observations of a small amount of coral bleaching or whitening of the
coral including in Two Fathom Rocks.
We look for tender ways to care for our marine life not because we want
the world to know that it's time to book their flights to Bandar Seri
Begawan for scuba diving expeditions. We care for our marine
biodiversity because it is the right thing to do. We care for it not for
the commercial profit that we see growing from the protection of our
coral reefs.
We do so because we are fortunate to have in our waters what many
countries may no longer have. We do so because we know by now that
biodiversity is for us to protect and preserve.
- Courtesy of
the Brunei Times -
