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New Straits Times, 7Jan 05 Environmental Impact: How Penang fishermen were saved GEORGE TOWN, For over a decade, inshore fishermen in Penang fought to preserve the mangrove swamps near their villages. On Dec 26, they received the ultimate payback for their perseverance - the swamps acted as a buffer against the tsunami and saved some of them from death and prevented further destruction to their homes. Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (Pifwa) adviser P. Balan was thankful that the effort to plant 25,000 mangrove saplings in areas like Pulau Betong, Balik Pulau, Batu Kawan and Kuala Sungai Pinang proved to be useful. "When the first tidal wave came in around 11am on Dec 26, the fishermen were returning from sea. "When they realised how strong the waves were, they clung tight to the mangrove trees and were spared from the waves. "Even their property on land were saved because the mangroves served as a buffer," he said. Rousli Ibrahim from Sungai Chenaam said that three of his friends took refuge in the mangrove swamps and were shielded from the strong waves. "Thank God, the trees protected them," the 57-year- old fisherman said. "Mangrove forests have been around my village since the early 1970s and many of us fish for crabs there. "Although many trees were destroyed before, we have succeeded in replanting more saplings and today many of us are thankful." Pifwa chairman Saidin Hussein believed that if there had been more mangrove swamps in Pulau Betong, the loss of lives and massive damage to fishing boats in the area would have been reduced. "Whenever I made noise that there were insufficient mangrove trees in the area, I was accused of being orang tua bodoh (a silly old man)," said the 73-year-old, who still goes out to sea daily. Pifwa respresents the interest of 6,000 fishermen in Penang. links Related articles on Tsunami and the environment |
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