Konda, August 15, 2018 - Today, August 15, 2018, through a customary declaration in Konda, South Sorong Regency, indigenous peoples held a declaration to support the initiation of marine, coastal and small island conservation areas in the South Sorong Regency area. This customary declaration is a form of commitment from all elements of indigenous peoples to realize the governance of conservation areas in water areas. This mangrove ecosystem-based marine protected area will support sustainable fisheries.

The coastal and marine areas of South Sorong Regency are known as one of the largest producers of shrimp commodities in West Papua Province. Not only shrimp, but there are also other potential fishery commodities such as: side fish, yellow tail/bananas, lema/selar, kuwe, bamboo leaves/talang-talang, white snapper, japuh, tembang, tubuk, flying fish, julung-julung, lencam, red snapper, mullet, jackfruit seeds, kurisi, madidihang, grouper, and others. As a support for these fisheries activities, South Sorong Regency is blessed with a mangrove ecosystem of 76,171 ha, which on average is in good condition (USAID - Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced Project | WWF-Indonesia, 2017). However, threats to these coastal and fisheries resources remain, such as the degradation of mangrove ecosystems, overfishing of small fish, and fishing of endangered marine biota.

In the West Papua Province Coastal Zone and Small Islands Zoning Plan (RZWP3K) currently being drafted, 338,323.99 ha in South Sorong District has been allocated for coastal conservation areas. The area is located from the waters of Saifi District in the north to the waters of Kokoda District in the south of South Sorong District. There are a total of 7 coastal districts in South Sorong District, consisting of 12 coastal villages inhabited by 7,534 people, receiving or directly impacting the prospective conservation area.

According to Nerigo Tribe community leader and supporter of the South Sorong Conservation Area initiation, Johanes Regoi, ""The marine protected area initiation that we are doing is the prayer of the coastal communities of South Sorong Regency that has been heard. Not only do we support the reservation of conservation areas through declarations, we are also committed to engaging in a custom-based management system, so that natural resources can be passed on to our children and grandchildren."

In the public consultation of conservation areas in South Sorong Regency, the Regional Secretary of South Sorong Regency Dance Yulian Flassy said, ""This is a brilliant initiation that is being carried out because it involves the community in the process of establishing conservation areas for the welfare of the community, so to strengthen the initiation, it must go through a customary release process or declaration. Geographically, the indigenous community is the user and owner of the area in every inch of South Sorong's water area."

The public consultation was carried out through cooperation between the West Papua Provincial Government and the South Sorong Regency Government supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Sustainable Ecosystems Advance Project implemented by implementing partner WWF-Indonesia.

The design of coastal and marine conservation areas in South Sorong integrates various important information such as mangrove ecosystems that function as spawning areas for various types of economically important fish, as well as fisheries utilization patterns carried out by the people of South Sorong.

""The main indicator of the success of the customary declaration is to get support from all coastal communities who have territorial rights. For this reason, the main support must come from the voices of the clans that occupy an area in the waters of South Sorong,"" explained South Sorong Regent Samsudin Anggiluli.

This customary declaration is the first step for the process of reserving marine protected areas by the Governor of West Papua and the establishment of the area by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. It is expected that the entire series of processes to establish a conservation area in South Sorong waters will be realized in early 2019.

Source: Julius Samallo SP (juliussamallo@gmail.com) | www.sorongselatankab.go.id