Coral Triangle - WWF and partners joined forces to highlight the growing problem of plastic pollution in the oceans by launching the #SayNo2Plastic campaign on Coral Triangle Day, June 9.

In its 6th year, Coral Triangle Day will highlight this important issue by inviting individuals, organizations and companies on June 9 to contribute through a series of events that will take place in various regions. The series of events include; ocean and beach cleanups, educational discussions, and other awareness raising activities.

To emphasize the message that simple actions can have a big impact on the environment and to spur changes in consumer behavior, WWF and partners are campaigning Instagram contest with the hashtag #SayNo2Plastic until the culminating event, Coral Triangle Day on June 9.

The contest will encourage people to reduce plastic waste by uploading creative photos of single-use plastic products and personal changes they are making to reduce plastic waste in the ocean - with a chance to win prizes.

Home to 76 percent of all coral species, 3000 fish species, and 6 of the world's 7 sea turtle species, the Coral Triangle region's ecosystems are in a state of emergency from the threat of plastic pollution.

According to a study published in the journal Science in 2015, three countries in the Coral Triangle region are among the top ten countries with the highest levels of marine waste (Jambeck, et. al.). Indonesia ranked second in ocean waste generation with 187.2 million tons, the Philippines ranked third with 83.4 million tons, and Malaysia ranked eighth with 22.9 million tons.

Plastics in the ocean generally come from land-based sources and about eight million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean every year worldwide. Ocean plastic pollution is causing increasing environmental, economic and health problems. The plastic crisis will also affect the more than 130 million people living in the Coral Triangle region, who rely heavily on the region's rich resources for food, livelihoods and protection from storms.

This year's Coral Triangle Day will continue to emphasize awareness of the importance of the world's richest marine area, and urge protection of the area with global benefits from the 6 countries that comprise the Coral Triangle region: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

Aimed at ocean lovers of all backgrounds, Coral Triangle Day is organized by the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) in collaboration with the National Coordinating Committees of the six Coral Triangle countries, and CTI-CFF partners including WWF.

Visit www.coraltriangleday.org for more information, and http://www.coraltriangleday.org/contest/2017 for its Instagram contest information.

Note to Editors:

• The Coral Triangle region - the heart of the world's marine biodiversity - is the center of the world's marine ecosystems, covering an area of 6 million cubic kilometers across six Asia-Pacific countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Gunea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste.
• This region is home to 76% of the world's coral species, 37% of reef fish species, and valuable commodity species such as tuna, whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, as well as 6 of the world's 7 species of sea turtles.
• The Coral Triangle region also sustains more than 130 million people, and is a hatchery and developmental area for tuna. The coral reefs can also be a promising tourist object.
• WWWF and the government of Indonesia are working together to develop the Coral Triangle.
• WWF works with governments, local communities, companies and consumers to promote sustainable development in the region. For more information on the Coral Triangle, visit: www.panda.org/coraltriangle
• Monitor us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Coral_Triangle
• Watch us on Twitter.
• Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecoraltriangle
• Join us on Facebook.

For more information:
Dwi Aryo Tjiptohandono,Marine and Fisheries Campaign Coordinator, WWF-Indonesia.
Email: daryo@wwf.id

Paolo Mangahas, Senior Manager for Marketing and Communications, WWF Coral Triangle Program.
Email: pmangahas@wwfnet.org