2nd Essay

 LIFE BELOW WATER : PRESERVING THE OCEAN AND AQUATIC LIFE

    As a human being, we are actually living in a full cycle of chain. Life itself is not involving us only as a human but also the animals be it on land, below the sea and up in the sky, sometimes unseen creature above the galaxy and the one we could see right before our eyes. Despite the differences that we might have, we do as well have one in common - we are all the greatest creation of Allah swt, thus, we depend on each other to survive and sustain our living. 

    Most of the time, we often forget the importance of those who live below the sea. We forget that the sea provides most of our daily protein sources, economic growth for tourism and the Earth balancing support system since 71% of the Earth's surface is water-covered. Not to look further, even in our body itself, up to 60% is mainly water. Hence, why do we always ignore and neglect the importance of preserving the ocean and aquatic life in it?  Therefore, throughout this essay, a bay in Jamaica would be highlighted as a benchmark in upholding the sustainable development goals that is very significance to our daily life and surroundings. 

    When the high school principal, Mervyn Tennant retired and moved to fishing village in a bay in Jamaica, he had to witness a very heartbreaking unpleasant sight where the poachers are killing the endangered species by the bay, irresponsible local residents who make destruction over destruction at that particular place massive changes on beautiful landscape there. Oracabessa Bay in Jamaica to be precise which also known as the "Golden Eye" with luxury resort and captivating view, was then full of coral reefs that were dying off, fish numbers had dropped precipitously, tourism attraction had been threatened and more. In 2011, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) reported that the coral reefs were 91% degraded - taking over by the growth of algae, endangered life of the sea turtles and lower amount of fish numbers in total. 

    Hence, with support of the Global Environment Facility's Small Grants Programme (SGP) and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), they urged the fishermen, marine biologist and hotel owners to stay united to restore the quality of the ocean, corals, fish stock, sea turtles and establish a sustainable livelihoods capable of living in harmony with nature. They set out to preserve the marine ecosystem to bring back the fish, corals, sea turtles and give the ocean its life again! 

       First, they founded a sanctuary to monitor every progress of their enforcement. They broke down all the commercial advertisement that advertised the coral reefs exploitation and the one that encouraged the poachers over their illegal act. Apart from that, they were calling the government as well to work on hand in hand together, talk through any other possible solutions and alternative to the closure of conch industry. The local community also being approached to ensure their livelihood capacity would be at the best state where most of them voluntarily helping in monitoring the rehabilitation of the sea turtles and their reproduction nest. Over times, we gladly could see the significant result of these enforcement. That Golden Eye bay in Jamaica is already coming back to life again and ready to accept any visitors around the globe after the uplifting of this pandemic lockdown.  

        In Islamic perspective, Allah swt mentioned in the al-Quran, surah al-Maidah verse 96, "Lawful to you is the game of the sea and its food, a provision for you and for the travelers, and the game of the land is forbidden to you so long as you are on pilgrimage, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, to Whom you shall be gathered". The Almighty Allah swt also makes references in the al-Quran, surah al-Nahl verse 14, "And He it is Who has made the sea subservient that you may eat fresh flesh from it and bring forth from it ornaments which you wear, and you see the ships cleaving through it, and that you might seek of His bounty and that you may give thanks". Therefore, from all these verses we could definitely conclude that everything below the sea is equally important as everything on the land to be preserved accordingly and no harm or any destruction shall be done upon them.