Statement on the Indian Ocean Tsunami

摘要

At its 27th Session held in Penang, Malaysia from 14-18 March 2005, the Board of Trustees of the WoridFish Center examined the situation created by the high-intensity earthquake on the west coast of northern Sumatra and the subsequent tsunami waves that caused extensive loss of lives and damage to coastal communities throughout the southern Bay of Bengal, including Malaysia and East Africa. According to the information available, the disaster killed an estimated 300 000 people and caused economic damage estimated at approximately US 7 billion dollar, in addition to the social distress it caused, the cost of which can never be estimated nor compensated. The Board noted that the tsunami has been particularly devastating for fishers and fish farmers who suffered heavy loss of lives, damage to fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure (estimated at US 500 million dollar), destruction of or damage to more than 100 000 fishing vessels, and the loss of more than 1.5 million gear units.