I have written many articles about coral reef preservation and scuba diving but there are still many things about this wonderful underwater environment which you can learn about both from this blog and other websites.
Preserving the underwater coral reef is one of the most important tasks that we have to do to revive the thriving of coral reef and nearly extinct marine species. I used to write about how the local communities practice sustainable fishing in Maluku islands, West Papua.
In Maluku, there is a famous tradition called Sasi. During Sasi period, certain kinds of fish are not allowed to be caught by the locals to let them breed and develop. When the Sasi is opened again, coastal villagers can catch mature fish which have already laid their eggs. In West Papua, in an article, I wrote about how local Papuan protect dugong-dugong, dolphins and turtles by retelling old stories and traditional beliefs that these endangered marine species were their ancestors. So, the new Papuan generations in certain coastal villages are afraid to catch them fearing that they will hurt their ancestors spirits.
There are many websites which you can read to enrich your knowledge about the importance of preserving coral reef ecosystem. A comprehensive reading material which I recommend here is Sustainable Tourism for Marine Recreation Providers which you can download from CORAL. Other webistes for studying coral reef are The Ocean Conservancy; NOAA'S Coral Reef Information System; International Coral Reef Initiative; EPA Coral Reef Homepage.
In today's internet technology, nearly all of the subjects that we want to study are now available for free. It is hoped that the abundant availability of readings on such subjects as coral reef preservation and scuba diving can increase public awareness about the importance of how we can protect the underwater environment for better future. by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia
