Officers from Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) went for Coral maintenance and monitoring trip to Motupore Island, Bootless Bay in Central Province on Sunday 11th of December 2022.
This trip was the second visit. Staff from CCDA went to maintain and monitor corals they planted in August in the Bootless Bay.
According to CCDA’s Adaption and Projects Division, General Manager Mr Jacob Ekinye, corals provide an ecosystem for life underwater.
They protect coastlines from the damaging effects of wave action and tropical storms.
Corals are source of nitrogen and other essential nutrients for marine food chains and they also assist in carbon and nitrogen fixing etc…
Mr Ekinye said ; “In Climate Change, Adaption and Projects division we have nine(9) priority areas like landslides, sea level rise, coastal flooding, inland flooding and one of them is coral reef bleaching so this is one of our priority we really want to get out and do things like this. We are only discussing without getting out to the field. Where coral is, there is fish and it benefits our coastal villages and for our maritime provinces. They depend on the sea for survival. What we are doing is not a small thing. This is small initiative but we are fighting climate change globally.”
Mr Ekinye commended Kokoda track Development & Livelihoods Association Inc and Lakwaharu Coral group for their initiative and efforts in rehabilitating the marine ecosystem through the activity of coral planting.
Kevin Egu from Lakwaharu Coral said it is important to maintain and monitor coral by cleaning and removing algae so corals can grow.
This coral gardening activity in Bootless Bay area is being undertaken by Master Farmers Kevin Egu and his uncle, Koivi Egu and community members from Tubusereia village in Central province.
This reef restoration activity is sponsored by Kyeema Foundation of Brisbane, Australia. Kevin and his uncle Koivi work together with Kyeema Foundation to address the ever-increasing climate change issues affecting coral reefs in PNG.
Kyeema Foundation sponsors this activity in PNG with support the from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program.