T

he government plans to set a quota on coral trading to ensure the sustainability of marine biodiversity, a minister revealed Monday.

"Coral reefs are very important for our country, as it is located within *the* Coral Triangle area," Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Fredy Numberi told a press conference during a symposium on coral reef management.

The quota system was recommended by the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI), Fredy said.

It was reported that a piece of coral is sold for Rp 1,000 (10 US cents) to Rp 3,000 while the replacement of the same coral would cost between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000.

It takes at least one year for a coral reef to grow by one centimeter.

A 2003 Johns Hopkins University study revealed Indonesia's 85,000-square-kilometer coral reef area is home to a third of the world's coral and a quarter of its fish species.

Indonesia has fallen victim to destructive fishing, unregulated tourism and climatic changes, as well as coral trading. Data from 414 reef monitoring stations in 2000 found that only six percent of Indonesia's coral reefs are in excellent condition, while 24 percent are in good condition, and about 70 percent are only in poor to fair condition.

Yaya Mulyana, the director of the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program Phase II (COREMAP II), said once the government has set a quota, traders will be advised to sell only transplanted coral .

There are about 50 species of coral in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara that can be transplanted.

State Minister for national development planning (Bappenas) Paskah Suzetta said the government would produce a blueprint to address several maritime issues such as fisheries, tourism, sea resources, and modes of sea transportation.