Oceans Marine: UN

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Senin, 18 Juli 2011

Maritime countries agree first ever shipping emissions regulation

Butcampaigners warn rules only apply to new ships replacing older ones – anddeveloping countries have six-year waiver

Guardian, John Vidal, environment editor, Monday 18 July 2011

Maritime countries have agreed to regulate shipping emissions – but
campaigners warn the rules don't go far enough. Photograph: David
Levene for the Guardian

Countrieshave taken a first step towards reducing climate emissions from shipping with aglobal agreement to reduce energy use in new vessels from 2013 onwards.

The belatedaction on Friday by 55 of the world's biggest sea-faring nations meeting at UN's international maritime organisation in London will force all ships over400 tonnes built after 2013 to improve their efficiency by 10%, rising to 20%between 2020 and 2024 and 30% for ships delivered after 2024. The first everregulation of emissions in shipping is expected to lead to greenhouse gasemission reductions of 45-50m tonnes a year by 2020.

But China,Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Africa have secured a six and a half year delayfor new ships registered in developing countries, which could mean the firstguaranteed effective date of the reform will be in 2019. Shipping accounts for3-4% percent of man-made CO2 emissions worldwide and this figure is expected torise to 6% by 2020, with emissions doubling by 2050 if no action is taken. Shipowners,who traditionally do not pay for the fuel that their ships use, have longresisted any regulation despite increasing pressure from environmental groupsand reformers within the industry.

EnvironmentalNGOs welcomed the tightening of the energy efficiency design index (EEDI)standard but cautioned that because it only applies to new ships replacingolder ones at the end of their long lives, the full effects of today's decisionwill take a long time to have any major impact. There is a significant danger,said some, that many shipowners will elect to have their new ships flagged indeveloping countries that provide a waiver.

"Today'sdecision should result in fuel savings of $5bn a year by 2020 and CO2reductions of 22m tons. This is an unprecedented economic and environmentalopportunity and the IMO has taken an important step forward", said PeterBoyd, COO of Carbon War Room.

If the samestandards were applied to the existing fleet of more than 30,000 ocean-goingships it could save $50bn a year in fuel and 220m tons of CO2, he said.

"Therewill be no change to existing ships which are currently pumping out a billiontones of CO2 each year, and for new ships it will take another dozen yearsuntil the EEDI is really delivering benefits. Operational changes could bedelivering major benefits today," said Jacqueline Savitz, the seniorcampaign director for the marine conservation NGO Oceana.

Theefficiency improvements are expected to be met through better engine design,more efficient hull shapes, improved waste heat recovery systems and the use ofhull coatings to make ships more "slippery".

The deal isnot likely to satisfy the European Commission that the maritime organisation issuccessfully regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The EC is therefore expectedto proceed with its threat to bring shipping into the Emissions Trading Scheme,as it is doing in aviation, where there have been recent legal challenges fromnon-European countries.

In aseparate development on Friday, the European Commission said it plans to tighten ship fuel sulphur regulations, which should lead to public healthsavings of billions of dollars, especially in countries like Britain andHolland that border busy sea lanes. The proposal would cut the maximumpermissible sulphur content of fuels to 0.1% from 1.5% from 2015 in sensitiveareas such as the Baltic Sea and the Channel, and to 0.5% from 4.5% in allother areas from 2020.

Shippingburns some of the most polluting fuels, and the proposal is expected to fineparticle emissions from ships by up to 80 percent, the commission said.

Theexpected cost to the shipping industry of the new standards is between €2.6bnand €11bn ($3.7-$15.6bn), which the EU executive argues would be far outweighedby public health savings, of up to €34bn

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Jumat, 08 Juli 2011

Outrage at Drilling Permit for Australia Reef

Jakarta Globe, July 08, 2011

Australiangreen activists expressed outrage at a government decision to allow energygiant Shell to drill for gas at a pristine reef that was listed as a WorldHeritage site just two weeks ago.

Shell has been given permission to drill for gas at
an Australian reef that has been listed as a World
Heritage site

NingalooReef is considered a natural wonder, sprawling some 260 kilometres (155 miles)along Australia's west coast and teeming with hundreds of tropical fish andcoral species.

The UN'scultural body UNESCO listed the remote Ningaloo coast as a World Heritage sitelate last month due to its reef, sea turtles and white whales.

Butenvironmentalists say it could be under threat after the Australian governmentgreen-lighted a proposal from Shell to explore for gas nearby.

"Weare very concerned that the Australian government is even allowing the oil andgas sector to operate so close to the World Heritage-listed NingalooReef," WWF's Paul Gamblin told ABC Radio

"Itreally beggars belief that they aren't requiring a full environmental estimateof Shell's latest drilling proposal."

Gamblinsaid the Shell operations would run along the side of the reef itself, a"new frontier" for drilling, which has previously been confined toits northern corner.

Shellissued a statement saying it was "mindful of the significant biodiversityand heritage values of the Ningaloo region and we continue to plan ouroperations accordingly," noting its long safety record in the region.

"Theproposed exploration well is targeting gas and would be around 70km from theNingaloo Reef and 50km from the boundary of the Ningaloo Marine Park and WorldHeritage Area," the energy firm said.

EnvironmentMinister Tony Burke said Australia had beefed up its regulatory processes sincethe Montara oil spill in the Timor Sea two years ago, which saw thousands ofbarrels of crude spew into west coast waters over 10 weeks.

"Sincethe Montara incident, the department has adopted a more rigorous process forthe assessment of offshore petroleum activities and the approvalconditions," Burke told AFP in a statement.

"Shell'sproposal to undertake exploration drilling west of Ningaloo Reef was consideredon its merits in accordance with national environment law," he added.

Burke saidAustralia was "committed to protecting Australia's unique environmentincluding our oceans" and the Shell approval was consistent with similarprojects.

AFP

UNDP To Finance Wakatobi International Fishery School

Antara News, Fri, July 8 2011

UNDP provides the funds of Rp100 billion for the construction of the Wakatobi International Fishery School, the first of its kind Asia....

Related News

Kendari, SE Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will fully finance the construction of the International Fishery School (SPI) in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi, a local official said.

Illustration of a Fisherman
(ANTARA PHOTO/Zabur Karuru)

Wakatobi Mmarine and Fishery Office Chief Hajiu said on Friday that Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad would lay the first corner stone next Saturday, July 16, 2011.

"UNDP provides the funds of Rp100 billion for the construction of the Wakatobi International Fishery School, the first of its kind Asia," Hajiu said.

According to him, Wakatobi district government would only provide 100-hectare plot of land for the construction of the school in two stages, financed by UNDP.

For the first stage he said the local government has prepared a 50-hectare plot of land for school which was to be inaugurated by the maritime affairs and fisheries minister.

"On the 50-hectare plot of land for the first stage, the International Fishery School will be built in addition to other facilities such as students dormitory, and Muslim and Christian houses of worship," Hajiu said.

He said both Muslim and Christian houses of worship were needed because the students and lecturers would be from various countries, especially the six countries at the world`s coral reef triangle area.

According to Hajiu, the the prospective students who wanted to study at the school would undergo tight entry test, especially related to their academic competence on coral reefs conservation.

"In principle, the students who are accepted to study at such as school will be taught and trained in such away to master the knowledge about coral reefs conservation," Hajiu said.

He said the first-corner-stone laying ceremony

would also be attended by Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Nur Alam, and a number of other invitees.

Editor: Ade Marboen

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Kamis, 16 Juni 2011

Indonesia Commemorates "World Ocean Day"

Antara News, Thu, June 16 2011

Jakarta, June 16, 2011 (ANTARA) - In commemorating the "World Ocean Day" (WOD) or World Marine Day, today (15/6) Indonesia commemorates for the first time "World Ocean Day", which was set up by the United Nation in 2009. In his speech, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister, Fadel Muhammad, said this commemoration will be a momentum for people to contemplate, initiate, and take steps to deal with challenges in global community related to the ocean. "Local government must be aware with the importance to build the ocean as the nation's future," said Fadel.

According to Fadel, ocean has important function with food security, nutrition security, health and the existence of all aspects in life. Ocean has power to affect directly or indirectly the climate and earth which we all live. In everyday life, we receive marine service from the transportation, consumption, and recreation.

Meanwhile, the Defence and Security Minister, Poernomo Yusgiantoro, whose participate in commemoration of WOD said the archipelago security can be synergized with the use of small islands to save the ocean. Small islands in border region have double functions, such as ocean security and developing economic potential in this region. Poernomo said as many as 12 islands in this border region become a priority to implement those double roles such as Nipah Island, Miangas Island, and Berahla Island. Nowadays, people around the world deal with the piracy and armed robbery ship issues, which was happened in the last couple of years in Somalia Waters. The role of ocean as trading route is very important because 90% transportation of goods in the world is through the ocean. "Because of that, the ocean security is important to support economic activities in this region," he said.

Indonesia is the biggest archipelagic country in the world with 70% its territory is ocean and has 17,480 small islands.According to this geographic fact, Indonesia has done two strategic things such as; first, Juanda Declaration on December 13, 1957, which stated that the inland ocean is a jurisdiction area of the Republic of Indonesia. Second, the implementation of amandement to the Constitution of 1945 in 2000 so that the article of 25A stated that "The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelagic country". For this statement, the national development budgetting system should be based on the concept "Archipelagic State", rather than today's system," said Rompas Max Rompas, Secretary of National Marine Board (Dekin).

The Ocean Day is commemorated on June 8, 2011 since the United Nation set the date on its General Assembly in 2009. This idea has been proposed by Canada on June 8, 1992 in Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since that day, all countries commemorate World Ocean Day because ocean is an important life's chain. The commemoration of WOD this year has theme "Our Oceans" : Greening Our Future", which means "Our Ocean, Preserving Our Future."

On this occasion, the Archipelago Day 2011 will be inaugurated in Dumai, Province of Riau and the Ministry of Defence and Security is the chair to host this event. The discussion panel which brings the topic of discuss, initiate, 'sue' the implementation of the Constitution of 1945 amandement, article 25A which was set by the People's Consultative Assembly in 2000. This discussion panel was attend by Anna Mu'awanah (Vice Chairman of Commision IV DPR-RI) and Professor Jimly Asshidiqie (Legal Expert of State Administration), moderated by Mukhlis Yusuf, Managing Director of Antara News Agency.

For further information, please contact Dr.Yulistyo Mudho, M.Sc, Head of Data, Statistics and Information Center, The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Mobile 0811836967)

Sabtu, 21 Mei 2011

Piracy: IMO (UN) endorses use of armed guards on ships

BBC News, 21 May 2011

PIRACY CRISIS

The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has endorsed the use of private armed guards to protect ships from piracy.

Anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia
have had limited success

After a meeting in London, the IMO issued guidelines for the use of guards on board ships in areas of high risk, including in the Indian Ocean.

About one in 10 ships off the Somali coast already carry armed guards.

But observers say this number is likely to rise now that the UN has endorsed the practice.

The IMO says there were 489 reports of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2010 - up more then 20% on 2009.

The areas worst affected were the Indian Ocean, East Africa and the Far East including the South China Sea, South America and the Caribbean.

So far this year more than 200 cases have been reported.

Correspondents say piracy in the Indian Ocean is getting more lucrative and more violent, despite an anti-piracy EU naval force patrolling the area.

Torture

The IMO's new recommendations are backed by the independent trade body for security companies operating at sea, the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (Sami), launched last year.

Peter Cook, co-founder of Sami, told the BBC: "The pirates have been killing - they have been torturing and doing fake executions and the level of violence is increasing.

"It is clear that something has got to be done in order for free trade to be able to continue and it is for that reason that the IMO have decided to go down this very unusual route."

The IMO insists that the guidelines are not intended to institutionalise the use of armed, privately contracted security staff on ships and that they do not address all the legal issues that could be linked to their use.

The IMO describes the guidance as "interim recommendations" and says it will review them in September.

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Sabtu, 09 April 2011

Police yet to summon blast fishing victim

Antara News, Sat, April 9 2011

Sumenep, E Java (ANTARA News) - Sumenep district police investigators have yet to summon the victim of blast fishing in Kandibas hamlet, Guluk-Guluk village on April 6, a policeman said.

The victim, Muhlis, was still under the intensive care of Moh.Anwar general hospital`s doctors due to his serious injuries, Sumenep police spokesman, Commissioner Edy Purwanto said.

Speaking to newsmen here Saturday, he said Muhlis` serious wounds had forced him to remain at the hospital so that the police investigators could not yet summon him for questioning.

Muhlis was suspected of possessing the home-made bomb frequently used for poaching, he said.

The police did not only find the home-made bomb materials but also a home-made gun and bullets in his house. "We want to know where he get all stuffs," he said.

Edy Purwanto said a number of policemen were deployed to the hospital to secure him and monitor his health condition.

The home-made bomb exploded inside Muhlis` house on Wednesday at 05.30 am local time, damaging the house and injuring him.

Blast fishing activity in various parts of Indonesia, including East Java Province, can still be found. This condition has attracted world attention.

Endowed by nature with more than 50,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, Indonesia has been listed by the United Nations as a nation with the largest coral reef resources in the world, along with Australia and the Philippines.

According to the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC)`s World Atlas of Coral Reefs (2001), Indonesia had 51,020 square kilometers of coral reefs or 17.95 percent of the world`s coral reefs.

This archipelagic nation topped the list , followed by Australia with 48,460 square kilometers, the Philippines (25,060), France (14,280), Papua New Guinea (13,840), Fiji (10,020), Maldives (8,920), Saudi Arabia (6,660), Marshall Islands (6,110) and India (5,790).

The benefits that Indonesia can get from its coral reefs are obvious because coral reefs are evidently the sources of food and income for a lot of people from fisheries and tourism and also sources of raw materials for medicines.

But the UNEC-WCMC has warned that activities, such as fishing using explosives, are seriously degrading coral reefs in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia.

The UN body`s warning is based on factual information collected over the years. Blast fishing itself has been practiced in Indonesia since World War II.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

Senin, 06 Desember 2010

Shipping to steer cleaner carbon course

BBC News, By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, Cancun, Mexico, 6 December 2010

Ships could be charged different fees to dock depending on how much carbon they emit, according to ideas being discussed at the UN climate summit.

Gains of 30% in shipping emissions could come just
from efficiency improvements to cargo ships

The government of Papua New Guinea is considering the plan, and is hoping other nations may become involved.

The Carbon War Room, co-founded by Sir Richard Branson, has launched an online tool grading 60,000 commercial vessels according to their emissions.

Shipping contributes about 1Gt of CO2 each year, more than the entire UK.

Currently shipping fuels are exempt from national carbon accounts, which has caused much head-scratching about how their emissions could be curbed.

Ranked, filed

The new approach is to give businesses the tool they need to selectively use lower-emitting vessels.

"The Carbon War Room has been advocating the need for business to play a leading role in the fight to reduce carbon emissions," said Sir Richard.

"This data hub for shipping will help the key players in the industry and their customers make better decisions for their businesses and ultimately, the planet."

CANCUN CLIMATE SUMMIT

Data for 60,000 ships, including many of the big, long-distance carriers, has been put in to the website using data from international registers and methods developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The project's initiators hope that big corporations in particular will selectively use low-carbon carriers, encouraging all operators to improve their operations and reducing the industry's overall carbon footprint.

"We're hoping that companies like Nike or Walmart will go for it for two reasons," said Peter Boyd of the Carbon War Room.

"Firstly, they're concerned about greening their brands, but also about securing their supply chains."

But, he said, he was also intrigued by the idea that governments could set differential landing charges for ships depending on their emissions.

Papua New Guinea's delegate to the UN climate convention meeting, Kevin Conrad, told BBC News his government was considering the idea as part of a bigger package of measures designed to cut carbon through engagement with the private sector.

"Our duty is to find those that are leading the charge in the private sector, and work with them to achieve our climate goals," he said.

The ships would be rated on an A-G scale according to their efficiency.

The scheme's labels look very similar to the ratings given to consumer electrical goods such as refrigerators in the EU, which have helped drive up standards.

The Carbon War Room - a non-profit organisation aiming to "harness the power of entrepreneurs" to curb climate change - is hoping that ship owners will voluntarily choose to lodge their emissions data on the website shippingeffiency.org in order to boost their profile.

They calculate that global shipping emissions could be cut by about 30% just through increasing efficiency, although much greater gains could materialise in future as designers pursue new - or revisit old - concepts such as sails, kites and solar power.

Ships could be charged different fees to dock depending on how much carbon they emit, according to ideas being discussed on the sidelines of the UN climate summit.

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Kamis, 02 Desember 2010

Oceans failing the acid test, U.N. says

CNN News, By Matthew Knight for CNN, December 2, 2010

Acidification is is putting stress on ocean ecosystems,
threatening biodiversity and food security says the U.N.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

New U.N. report highlights threat to marine organisms posed by ocean acidification
A quarter of CO2 emissions are absorbed by the oceans
Around three billion people worldwide rely on fish for key nutrients
Acidification risen by 30 percent since Industrial Revolution according to U.N.

(CNN) -- The chemistry of the world's oceans is changing at a rate not seen for 65 million years, with far-reaching implications for marine biodiversity and food security, according to a new United Nations study released Thursday.

"Environmental Consequences of Ocean Acidification," published by the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP)," warns that some sea organisms including coral and shellfish will find it increasingly difficult to survive, as acidification shrinks the minerals needed to form their skeletons.

Lead author of the report Carol Turley, from the UK's Plymouth Marine Laboratory said in a statement: "We are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification directly on organisms and on some key ecosystems that help provide food for billions. We need to start thinking about the risk to food security."

Tropical reefs provide shelter and food for around a quarter of all known marine fish species, according to the U.N. report, while over one billion people rely on fish as a key source of protein.

Minggu, 26 September 2010

Indonesian`s seafarers support petition to end piracy

Antara News, Sunday, September 26, 2010 13:23 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian seafarers have supported a recent petition to combat piracy launched by several international organizations.

"Every country has been urged to care for and be proactive in the fight against piracy frequently taking ship crew members hostage," Hanafi Rustandi, the president of the Indonesian Seafarers` Association (KPI), said in a press statement received by ANTARA News on Sunday.

The End Piracy Now petition, presented on UN-designated World Maritime Day, September 23, was drawn up by a coalition of 14 seafarers` unions, trade organizations, insurance companies and other relevant bodies, with support from shipowners, trade unions and welfare organizations.

The International Transport Workers` Federation (ITF) has collected around 920 signatories from 185 countries to support the petition calling for action to end Somali piracy.

"Originally intended to achieve half a million signatures, it has far exceeded that figure and definitively proves that immediate action is needed," a statement of ITF said.

KPI and other world seafarers hoped that the petition could stop piracy, a maritime crime which has often made seafarers suffer, according to Hanafi.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has declared the 2010 as the Year of Seafarer. There are about 1.5 million seafarers in the world.

"Starting next year, all seafarers throughout the world will celebrate the Seafarer Year annually," he said.

KPI members and seafarers whose ships are docking at Tanjung Prior harbor, celebrated the International Maritime Day modestly last Friday.

The petition was launched in June this year "as the centerpiece of a campaign to persuade all governments to commit the resources necessary to end the increasing problem of Somalia-based piracy.

Piracy has become a serious problem for tankers carrying oil, petrochemicals and dry bulk commodities around the Gulf of Aden, the east coast of Africa as well as around southeast Asia.

The London-based ITF is a global union federation with membership comprising 759 unions representing over 4,600,000 transport workers in 155 countries.

Minggu, 30 Mei 2010

Blast fishing troubles C Sulawesi`s fishermen

Antara News, Sunday, May 30, 2010 18:10 WIB

Mamuju, W Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The blast fishing activities in the waters of West Tapalang village, Central Sulawesi, had caused shortages of fish, a fisherman said.

As a result, lots of traditional fishermen, including himself, could no longer get fish easily, Rusdi, the fisherman, said here Saturday.

Rusdi said blast fishing operations in Central Sulawesi waters might have destroyed coral reefs that affected the fish population in the area.

Fishing net fishermen need to go further into the sea to catch fish, he said.

Sharing Rusdi`s deep concern, Isram said fishing net fishermen like himself had actually already warned fishermen using explosives in catching fish.

But they ignored the warnings athough they realized the bad impacts of fishing with explosives on the sustainability of coral reefs and fish resources, which finally caused other fishermen to suffer, he said.

Due to the danger of blast fishing, he called on the police to take stern action the perpetrators.

"If the blast fishing practitioners are left free, I am afraid the impacts will become worse," he said.

The blast fishing activities in various parts of Indonesia, including Central Sulawesi Province, have attracted world attention.

But the UNEC-WCMC has warned that activities, such as fishing using explosives, are seriously degrading coral reefs in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia.

The UN body`s warning is based on factual information collected over the years. Blast fishing itself has been practiced in Indonesia since World War II.

Selasa, 06 April 2010

37 illegal immigrants captured in Jakarta Bay

Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/06/2010 4:25 PM

Thirty-seven male Afghan nationals were captured by patrolling officers from Jakarta Police's water police division in waters off Bidadari Island in Jakarta Bay early Tuesday and admitted they were heading to Australia to look for political asylum.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said the officers found the illegal immigrants floating in two fishing boats crewed by two Indonesian nationals identified as Ending and Ardun.

"We are still questioning them to find out how they entered Indonesian waters and which route they used," Boy said, adding that the illegal immigrants now came under the division’s jurisdiction.

Boy said the police were now coordinating with UNHCR representatives in Jakarta to decide the future of the asylum seekers.

"But it is almost certain they will be deported from Indonesia," he said.

Jumat, 02 April 2010

News focus: rescuing Indonesia`s coral reefs from blast fishing

Antara News, by Rahmad Nasution, Friday, April 2, 2010 14:36 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Endowed by nature with more than 50,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, Indonesia has been listed by the United Nations as s nation with the largest coral reef resources in the world, along with Australia and the Philippines.

The benefits that Indonesia can get from its coral reef biodiversity are obvious because coral reefs are evidently the sources of food and income for a lot of people through such activities as fisheries and tourism and also sources of raw materials for medicines.

But the UNEC-WCMC has warned that human activities, such as blast fishing, are seriously degrading coral reefs in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia.

The UN body`s warning is based on factual information collected over the years. Blast fishing itself has been practiced in Indonesia since World War II.

C.Pet-Soede, H.S.J. Cesar and J.S.Pet argued in their research report (1999) that blast fishing was chosen by certain local fishermen in Indonesia because it was "an easy and profitable way to catch whole schools of reef fish".

While it was a pactical and profitable for fishermen to earn their living, blast fishing, they said, was threatening the coral reef ecosystem and would eventually spell the end of coral reef fisheries.

Since the publication of C.Pet-Soede, H.S.J. Cesar and J.S.Pet`s report on their economic analysis of blast fishing in Indonesian coral reef waters in 1999 and the UNEP-WCMC`s World Atlas of Coral Reef in 2001, blast fishing has remained a frequent practice in Indonesia.

Although the government has officially banned it, the destructive fishing method, for example, continues to be used by certain fishermen on Enggano Island, Bengkulu Province, and in Kaduara Barat village in Pamekasan district , Madura Island, East Java.

Chief of Bengkulu`s naval base, Lt.Col.Sukrisno, had recently warned local fishermen of the danger of blast fishing for the preservation of coral reefs` biodiversity, and the legal sanctions they were risking.

Therefore, instead of using the home-made explosives, he urged them to use fishing nets as recommneded by Bengkulu province`s fishery and marine authorities.

Cases where fishermen are penalized for having practiced blast fishing happen repeatedly. On March 12, 2010, three fishermen in the East Java island of Madura, for example, were detained for possessing explosives.

The local police caught the fishermen of Candi hamlet, Polagan village, Galis sub-district, Pamekasan district red handed with the evidence minutes before they were about to go fishing.

Chief of Pamekasan police precinct Adjunct Senior Commissioner Mas Gunarso said his men seized 15 packs of home-made explosives from that the suspects. These law violators were threatened with severe sentence.

The direct impacts of this blast fishing has even been felt by the fishermen in the East Java island of Madura.

Basudin, traditional fisherman of Kaduara Barat village, Larangan sub-district, Pamekasan regency, said the fish catches of his and his fellows had badly been affected over the past years.

He suspected that the blast fishing might have contributed to the shortages of marine resources in the Madura sea because during the rainy season, certain local fishermen intensively used home-made explosives in fishing.

Every time they went fishing, they spent Rp100,000 - Rp150,000 in operational costs but they only got five kilograms of tiny sea fish. The selling price of this catch was no more than Rp100,000 in the local fish market, Basudin said.

In his opinion, the blast fishing activities had indeed destroyed all kinds of fishes, including the tiny and baby ones. The impacts of this destructive habit were not only felt by the doers but also caused the fish-net users like him to suffer from the poor catch. "But, we cannot stop them because we are all fellow fishermen," he said.

Besides degrading the marine resources, their destructive way of fishing had also destroyed coral reefs of the islands of Kramat and Pandan, he said.

Looking at the fishing condition in Madura Island waters, local authorities have periodically been holding public awareness campaigns and assisting the local fishermen with needed fishing tools.

For the fishing net users, they had once been given water-resistant lamps, Head of Pamekasan regency`s marine and fishery office Nurul Widiastuti, said.

Providing them with the government`s sponsored water-resistant lamps was part of her office`s efforts to promote a friendly fishing and care for safety of the local fishermen themselves, she said.

Apart from what the state apparatuses, like Sukrisno and Nurul Widiastuti, have done, the government need also protect the traditional fishermen from all sorts of unfair fishing policies and activities, such as letting them freely compete with trawlers on open sea.

The blast fishing may also be fought by introducing the fishermen to such alternative skills as breeding saltwater fish and running aquaculture.

With these people-empowered and oriented approaches, more fishermen can be persuaded to make a living by getting rid of any destructive way of fishing.