The Cabinet of Balochistan approved the status of Churna Island as the second Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Pakistan in a session held on Wednesday.
The spokesperson of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) commended the decision of the Balochistan government.
In 2017, the first Island to be designated an MPA in Pakistan was Astola Island.
The spokesperson also shed light on Pakistan’s important location calling it one of the limited marine areas with coral habitat while mentioning its use as a recreational spot.
The spokesperson called the Island an important fishing site that is threatened by human activities.
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Coral reefs are an important part of the marine ecosystem and are home to aquatic life. Coral reefs are considered more important than the forests of Africa and Latin America in terms of biodiversity and productivity. But due to climate change, coral reefs in Pakistan are turning white and dying.
In the Arabian Sea, near the island of Charna, there are long coral reefs, but now they are in grave danger. This process is called coral bleaching which is badly affecting the nurseries of many marine animals as these rocks are rapidly turning white.
