The Philippines is taking the lead in protecting the Coral Triangle, the world's richest source of marine biological diversity, from environmental destruction, a Philippine Information Agency press release said.

The Philippines, the eighth largest fish producer in the world, lies in the center of the Coral Triangle bordered by Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Solomon islands.

President Gloria Arroyo said her administration will host a forum to save the Coral Triangle during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Senior Official's Meeting in May this year, the press release said.

The Coral Triangle holds not only the richest source of marine biological diversity, but also directly sustains more than 120 million people living within the area, and supports the livelihood and food security of millions worldwide, the press release said.

Marine experts have warned that unsound practices such as over-fishing and illegal fishing methods, pollution, development and tourism-related activities, and the burgeoning seafood markets have placed the Coral Triangle in peril.

The President said in the press release that the Coral Triangle is a tuna spawning ground that supplies the big demand of top consumer countries such as Japan , China , United States , European Union and Australia .

During the high-level plenary session of the World Economic Forum on the role of Asean in an emerging Asia in Davos, Switzerland, the President said the world must be more conscious in protecting the Coral Triangle because it is "the world's epicenter of marine life abundance," the press release added.*

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