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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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