MANILA(PNA) - Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and the Philippines came up with the proposed Manila Declaration of Support and Commitment to the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on coral reefs, fisheries and food security for possible signing this week.

Such initiative aims to help enhance protection of the Coral Triangle
(CT), a region bounded by these countries and which experts identified
as the world's center of biological diversity.

Experts are focusing on CT as they warned it faces environmental
destruction and resource depletion from pollution, unsustainable
fishing practices, coastal habitat conversion and climate change.

"The challenge is to find ways for more coordinated action on CT
protection," Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Director Malcolm Sarmiento said Tuesday at opening of the two-day
Third Meeting of CTI Coordination Committee where he read Department
of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap's welcome message for
participants and led discussions on the matter.

The proposed declaration calls for adopting Manila draft of the
Regional Action Plan representatives of countries concerned are
discussing during this meeting in Manila.

Such draft will serve as initial framework for specific action needed
for conserving and managing coastal and marine resources within CT
region.

The proposed declaration also promotes more environmental protection
collaboration among countries concerned as well as endorses the
planned February 2009 ministerial meeting on CT protection in Papua
New Guinea and the May 2009 CTI Summit in Indonesia.

Heads of CT countries are expected to adopt during next year's summit
Regional Action Plan for protecting the area.

Studies show CT is home to 76 percent of known coral species, 37
percent of known coral reef fish species, 33 percent of the world's
coral reefs as well as most mangrove forests and tuna spawning/growing.

Such resources are benefiting some 363 million people in CT countries,
particularly those living along coastal areas.

Researchers reported over 80 percent of coral reefs across the
Southeast Asian part of CT as well as fisheries stocks are at risk
from coastal development and fishing-related pressure.

They warned that climate change will worsen threats to CT. (PNA)
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