Accumulating Plastic Waste in the Ocean Are Killing Coral Reef Ecosystems in Indonesia

Accumulating plastic waste and are slowly but surely making the ocean a toxic place for fishes to live in. The Research Center for Oceanography (RCO) has stated, “the degraded coastal ecosystem could impact the fishery production and ecotourism sectors," meaning that without proper action to conserve coral reefs, the beautiful tourist attraction would become dull and empty, no longer catching anyone’s eyes.

The idea of snorkelling in Bali through a sea of grey and white instead of rainbow coloured reefs does not sound like the picturesque vacation one would imagine when going to Indonesia.

Adding to the statement, the RCO has also found that Central and Eastern Indonesia deals with the poorest conditions of coral reefs caused by human activity, leading back to plastic pollution as a dominant force in the unfortunate state of the coral reefs, although all hope is not yet lost.

The Indonesian government has taken initiatives towards marine conservation which includes coral reef preservation and planting, but we as the public still hold the most crucial role of becoming aware of the crisis at hand as we would be able to bring real change and enforce placements of the Law of the Sea (Law no. 32 of 2014) and regulations that cover a much larger area to protect it from exploitation and plastic pollution.

The government has also shown particular attention towards sustainability, pledging to protect roughly 357,021 km2 of Indonesia's waters from not only illegal and destructive fishing but also from plastic waste, giving a ray of hope for the corals.

coral reefs are in need of more than a little love, and as a country that boasts many islands and species of animals both in its ocean and land, practising mindfulness when it comes to our use of plastic would not only bring our country its natural charm back, it might also save our lives and nurture it.

Thania Juliana Felly is a Public Relations and Digital Communication student at the LSPR Institute of Communication and Business in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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