Underwatertimes.com News Service - March 22, 2006 19:07 EST

British investor Newman Bio Marine Pte Ltd wanted to build a giant aquarium in popular tourist resort in Sanur area on Bali Island, a British businesswoman said.

The company wished to make a large aquarium in Sanur since the area`s underwater wealth and fish collection were beyond compare, Newman Bio Marine director Helen Newman said in a meeting with Denpasar deputy mayor IN Rai Dharma Wijaya Matra here Tuesday.

Helen said there were about 200 kinds of rare fish which were needed to be preserved.

She thus said that the proposed aquarium would hopefully help conserve the fauna and concurrently lure tourists to Sanur.

The area where the British investor would build the aquarium was in an area covering 2 hectares between Sanuh Kauh and Padang Galak Kesiman, two locations where tourists always watch a beautiful sunrise.

The aquarium should be built near a beach as the company would need seawater to fill the aquarium, said Helen who had spent her time to dive for the past 19 years.

Meanwhile Rai Darma expressed hope that the facility should likewise be used as a study center on Balinese underwater wealth.

Rai, however, reminded Helen to obtain a permit from the government in Jakarta if her company wanted to use seawater for the aquarium and hold socialization on the project among locals in Sanur in a bid to avoid unexpected problems in the future.