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  • 24 May 2016

 

- The Regional Secretariat of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), together with National Coordinating Committees (NCC) from its six member countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste), development partners, and neighbouring countries, celebrated the 5th Coral Triangle Day on June 9.

 

- This year’s theme, “Save Coral Triangle – Stop Plastic Pollution,” highlights the serious threat posed by massive plastic waste polluting the ocean, which has caused critical conditions for marine ecosystems in the Coral Triangle region.

 

Jakarta, 20 May 2016 – The Regional Secretariat of CTI-CFF, together with its six member countries represented by NCC, development partners, and neighbouring countries, celebrated the 5th annual Coral Triangle Day (CT Day) on June 9 with the theme “Save Coral Triangle – Stop Plastic Pollution”.

 

The theme aims to generate awareness and real action in addressing the growing plastic waste entering the ocean and endangering the marine ecosystem – from coral reefs, fish, seabirds, and endangered species to broader food security.

Plastic pollution is becoming a major problem for coastal and marine life worldwide. Roughly eight million tons of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean annually, according to a 2015 study by the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment.

The report mentioned that five countries are responsible for up to 60% of the plastic waste entering our oceans. In the Coral Triangle region, Indonesia and the Philippines are included, after China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“Plastic pollution is a real threat to marine ecosystems, as it directly affects coral and marine species, and also disrupts food security for people dependent on marine resources,” said Widi A. Pratikto, Ph.D., Executive Director of CTI-CFF.

“We can take real actions to fight plastic pollution by pledging to reduce marine debris, using reusable bags, containers, and straws, buying products with less packaging, and joining local clean-up activities,” added Widi.

Social Media Campaign – Instagram Contest #noplace4plastic

The CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and www.thecoraltriangle.com, will spotlight the problem of plastic pollution via a social media campaign called #noplace4plastic, derived from the main theme.

The Instagram contest encourages users to post creative photos of plastic where it shouldn’t be—in natural environments, on land or at sea—using the hashtag #noplace4plastic.

Through #noplace4plastic, CTI-CFF and its partners aim to reach a broad audience and promote discussions on reducing plastic waste to protect coastal and marine environments critical to human wellbeing.

Several sponsors have donated prizes, including luxury resort stays, diving packages, dive gear, and Coral Triangle coffee table books.

To learn more about the contest and other Coral Triangle Day events, visit www.coraltriangleday.org.

About CT Day

CT Day, officially endorsed at the 4th CTI-CFF Ministerial Meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia in November 2012, is a regional awareness platform to highlight marine conservation and biodiversity.

CT Day is an interpretation of World Oceans Day (June 8) in the Coral Triangle. It brings together individuals and organizations to celebrate the region through activities such as beach clean-ups, mangrove replanting, sustainable seafood shows, and youth workshops.

CT Day is open-sourced; any organization can celebrate it anywhere, especially across the Coral Triangle region.

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Notes to the Editor:

  • The Coral Triangle—the “nursery of the seas”—is the world’s center of marine life, covering around 6 million sq. km across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
  • It is home to 76% of the world’s known coral species, 37% of the world’s coral reef fish species, and commercially valuable species such as tuna, whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, and six of the world’s seven marine turtle species.
  • The Coral Triangle sustains the lives of over 130 million people and contains key spawning and nursery grounds for tuna. Its reefs and coastal systems also support tourism.
  • Follow CTI-CFF on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information:

Andie Wibianto, Information and Communications Manager, CTI-CFF
Email: andiewibi@cticff.org