A $32 million project to restore marine resources in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand was launched yesterday by the U.N. Environment Programme. Seven Southeast Asian nations and donors from developed countries finalized an agreement last November to fund the five-year plan, which is intended to help some 270 million people whose livelihoods have been affected by declining fish stocks, damaged coral reefs, and disappearing mangrove forests. Overfishing, pollution, and coastal development have led to the problems.
