NGO wants immediate halt of shrimp farm expansion

Shrimp farming has been destructive and thought to the cause of environmental disaster. Millions of hectares of mangrove forest has been converted into large scale shrimp ponds.

M. Riza Damanik, the manager of sea and coast campaign of WALHI (Friends of Earth Indonesia), said that the shrimp ponds has a negative effect to the environment and the local society. Ironically the mega project is not for local consumptions but exported to countries such as USA, China, Japan.

In detail the effects were decrease of water and land quality, destroyed mangrove ecosystem, social decrease, potential of abrasion, sedimentation and salinization of ground water in the shrimp farm region.

Because of that WALHI, ASIA (Asia Solidarity Against Industrial Aquaculture), dan MAP (Mangrove Action Project) with 35 NGO from various countries will attend “South – North Consultation”, placed in Lampung, from 2 - 6 September 2007.

The consultation forum is important to exchange information also to gather force to resist the expansion of the shrimp farm.

Source Tempo Interaktif

Related Posts by Categories

Widget by Hoctro | Jack Book