fwd: Greenwire 11/18 story on coral reefs (fwd)

[James C. Hendee]

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Original Text 
From: Howard S. Marks at LA@NOAA, on 11/19/96 4:48 PM: 
To: Arthur E. Paterson at IntlAff@NOAA 
Cc: David S. Jansen at LA@NOAA 

*23  PHILIPPINES:  CORAL REEFS RAVAGED BY IMPOVERISHED FISHERS 
     "Local poverty and local politics" are working together to cause the 
destruction of coral reefs in the Philippines, as poor fishers are forced 
to rely on environmentally damaging fishing methods for survival, reports 
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT.  

     Impoverished fishers in the Philippines often catch fish in coral 
reef areas by detonating dynamite, spraying cyanide and pounding reefs 
with rocks and crowbars to scare fish out (GREENWIRE, 10/31/95).  The 
methods are "horrifically effective,"yielding huge amounts of fish, but 
ruining reefs.  

     Although the Philippine government "long ago" outlawed blast and 
cyanide fishing, the practices continue because of a lack of enforcement 
and a fear of retribution from illegal fishers. Also, because of extreme 
poverty and population pressures, "the choice for many [fishers] each day 
is not between illegal and legal fishing methods but between eating and 
going hungry."  

                   USAID PROGRAM AIMS TO HELP 
     The US Agency for Int'l Development has begun a $21 million Coastal 
Resources Management Project to help combat the problem. It aims to put 
10, 000 miles of Philippine coastline under sustainable management, and 
eventually "create a local political coalition with a common interest in 
preserving the coastal environment and strong enough to defeat those who 
make money destroying it" (Steven Butler, US NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 11/25 
 issue).