Saturday, September 27, 2008

Help Protect Our Sea, Philippine Coast Guard Appeals

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 27, 2008) – The Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday appealed to citizens to protect the marine environment and urged them to help in then government’s campaign in cleaning up the country’s coastlines.

It said pollution is threatening the marine environment and could spell destruction to the coral beds and animals and plants in the sea.

Senior Officer Maximo Esperon said pollution is also threatening the livelihood of small fishermen and seaweed farmers. He said trash and other garbage littered across the sea coasts and on coral beds, aside from oil spill from water vessels.

“Time will come when ordinary fishermen could no longer catch fish in the coastal areas if these malpractices would not be corrected or stopped,” Esperon said."We appeal to citizens to help protect our sea."

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also alarmed by the pollution at sea and largely blamed chemical and oil spills from ships and oil tankers.

Volunteers and divers in Zamboanga City and Lamitan City in Basilan province have recently banded together and launched separate campaigns to clean the sea. (Erico Rosco)

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