College teaches how to preserve coral reefs

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 05/22/2007 8:13 AM  |  Life

Claudine Frederik, Contributor, Banda

Banda Neira in Maluku may just be a dot on the global map but it means home to the Hatta-Syahrir Fishery College, which was launched four years ago.

It was named after Mohamad Hatta and Sutan Syahrir, two important strugglers for Indonesian freedom who were banished to the island by the Dutch administration in the colonial era. The island is a historical treasure trove dating back to the 17th century. In those days the island played a very significant role in the existence of the VOC, or Dutch East Indies Company.

Now more than four centuries later Banda Neira has been reduced to a spot for tourists, who are mainly attracted to the once famous colorful sea gardens that made up the Banda waters. The poor condition of the coral gardens spurred the founder of the Banda Cultural Heritage organization to establish a fishery college on the island. The cultural organization is being managed by Des Alwi and associates. At the opening of the college Meutia Hatta attended the event.

""We had a team of international marine experts making up a rapid survey of the coral condition and they found that major damage had been caused by star fish and crown-of-thorns,"" said Des Alwi. He further said that local fishermen used to catch fish by way of bomb blasting, causing gaping craters on many places in the coral.

""So, one of the main subjects of study is the sustainability of coral life and marine species that are near extinct,"" said Des.

Originally, the plan was to establish a school for local fishermen that would offer them more knowledge about marine life and more know-how for catching fish. This knowledge would arouse understanding for sustaining nature's beauty.

""Students are now experimenting with coral recolonization and also with Trochus Nicotilus. That is a shell whose numbers have been a cause of alarm. The mollusk is very much in demand with the locals because of its commercial value.""

At the moment students have to resort to traditional experimenting, which means the sea is their laboratory. In the case of Top Shell (Trochus Nicotilus) seeding, good mother shells are collected from the waters of the surrounding islands and then deposited in a confined part of the sea. After mating the baby shells will be separated and put in a different area reserved for the young shells.

""We are working hard on a laboratory where such experiments can be done and this would include the use of vast seawater tanks, filters and much more,"" Des said.

In the case of the Top Shell, it is an eight cm conical shell covered with two shades of brown and silver. The top is covered with a chocolate-colored substance. After the seedlings have reached six months or more, they will be spread out in the surrounding waters of Banda and nearby islands. The shells live in five to 40 meters of water.

On the endangered species list can be found the Napoleon fish which inhabits these waters. The Banda Sea is home to 800 or more fish varieties. It is also home to the yellow fin tuna. This fish has become a staple food for locals because it is available at all times.

The fishery college is one of the island's newest constructions. It was built in the harbor area and looks out on the sea. In the background towers the 700-meter tall Gunung Api mountain, which proved to be a live volcano several years ago. Fisher families live on the slopes of the mountain.

Des Alwi's concern for the island comes as no surprise because he was born and brought up in Banda. Sutan Syahrir was a very close friend of the family. After the war, Des Alwi departed for London to further his studies. But Banda has always been close to his heart.

""When I returned to the island I wonder what I could do to restore its former glory. It should become more than just a travel spot for tourists. Fishermen had always made up the better part of the island's population. I thought then to give them the opportunity to learn more about fishing. I didn't think the college would attract students from other islands. It now has more than hundred students.""

Two of the college's first graduates were accepted at the Bogor Agricultural University.

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