Jakarta – Industrial waste and land conversion has destroyed almost 70 percent of mangrove forests along Java's and Bali's northern coasts, an environmental activist says.

Abdul Halim of People's Coalition of Justice in Fishery (Kiara) warned that unless the trend was stopped, mangroves that act as fish nurseries would become extinct.

"The disappearance of mangrove forests has adversely affected the livelihood of fishing communities in Java and Bali. Fishermen find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet because the fish have disappeared along with the mangroves," Abdul said in a media statement.

He said the destruction of the mangroves was most intense between 1991 and 2003.

Until 2014, the government aims to replant 1,440 hectares of mangroves across the country. Abdul said to achieve the target, the government should involve local communities and depend less on the state budget.