The Indonesian Traditional Fishers Association (KNTI) has encouraged to expedite and expand policies pertaining to the restoration of mangrove ecosystems or forests in regions.
“The KNTI itself has long pushed for the restoration of mangrove ecosystems, especially in the northern coast of Java that is damaged,” KNTI Daily Chairman Dani Setiawan stated when contacted by Antara here on Monday.
Setiawan emphasized that mangrove ecosystems can support marine biota.
“Coastal mangrove forests are very important. Fish can lay eggs, forage, grow, and even play there,” he remarked.
Setiawan noted that in the archipelago, mangroves are able to provide food containing fish protein.
The KNTI daily chairman explained that mangrove ecosystems also function as filters for pollutant materials, thereby reducing the volume and energy of waves in the event of disasters, such as tsunamis.
Hence, he called on the government to prevent damage to coastal areas due to large-scale industrial and plantation expansion that had a dire impact on the coastal environment.
“If mangrove ecosystems are damaged or lost, it will damage the life chain of water resources,” he cautioned.
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