By: Bycatch and Sharks Conservation Program

A quarter of the world's shark and ray species diversity is found in Indonesian waters, spanning from shallow to deep waters. The diverse characteristics of these waters are unique as important habitats for the life cycles of these cartilaginous fish families. However, the next challenge is how to carry out sustainable management of sharks and rays for the diversity of shark and ray populations themselves.

The availability of both data and scientifically-based documentation remains a major challenge in the management of shark and ray species in Indonesia. On the one hand, the practice of extractive utilization in nature continues to take place and the Indonesian government is also expected to contribute to shark and ray management policies in the world through ratification of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) resolutions on certain species.

Seeing these challenges, the Fisheries Research Center of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Conservation International, WWF-Indonesia, and Misool Baseftin initiated the "2nd National Shark and Ray Symposium: Towards Sustainable Shark and Ray Management Based on Science" which will be held on March 28-29, 2018 in Jakarta. This year's shark and ray symposium is aimed at collecting the latest research results on sharks and rays in Indonesia, and is expected to answer the needs of shark management, especially those that are endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) or are of concern at the international level such as CITES and RFMO.

The symposium invites academics, researchers, and practitioners to contribute to management by submitting research abstracts related to the proposed subthemes related to "Biology, Population, and Ecology; Socioeconomics and Institutions; and Management and conservation" before February 16, 2018. Travel grants are also available for selected presenters. All information about the symposium can be found at the link www.srs-indonesia.org .

Be a pioneer of shark and ray management in Indonesia, for the balance of shark and ray populations in nature. For more information, please contact the Symposium Call Center at 0813-8565-3816.