Tuesday, December 24, 2024
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Brunei Town

The Big Blue Hope

Some 210 corals were planted yesterday, marking the most ever planted in a single day in the country, according to the organisers of Ocean Week Brunei.

The feat involved 79 volunteers from the diving community, private sector, youth, government diving units, and government sustainability-related departments, said the organisers.

It involved six boats from the Fisheries Department, Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) and Poni Divers, which brought participants to the site of the coral planting event, ‘Big Blue Hope’.

A team of 31 divers representing various sponsors, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Fisheries Department, FRD, Marine Police, the Embassy of Japan in Brunei Darussalam and Reef Check Brunei joined forces with members of the diving community and organisers Poni Divers to achieve the goal.

Additionally, 22 snorkellers from the Prime Minister’s Office, Wawasan Brunei Secretariat Office, Brunei Climate Change Office, Anson International Sdn Bhd, Pengurusan Projek Imarah Sdn Bhd and the public contributed.

Chief Executive Officer of Poni Divers and founder of Poni Foundation Mohd Tahsin Wong bin Abdullah explained the significance of the event.

“By reaching this milestone, we aim to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility among our youth and community towards ocean health,” he said, adding that, “This event symbolises hope and our collective power to enact lasting change.”

The programme included a short introduction on coral ecology, the threats faced by corals, and hands-on coral planting exercises.

The event ended with a certificate from the Brunei Book of Records. – Adib Noor

ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show divers at Pelong Rocks planting coral into reef balls. PHOTO: PONI DIVERS
PHOTO: PONI DIVERS
PHOTO: PONI DIVERS
PHOTO: PONI DIVERS
Volunteers prepare corals for planting. PHOTO: ADIB NOOR

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