Author: Terry Endropoetro (travel blogger http://negerisendiri.com/2016/web/)

The closest island is Grogos Island, a populated island with 69 households. It is on this island that WWF-Indonesia in #XPDCKOON in East Seram must work hard to socialize and provide an understanding of the conservation area. Including straightening out the news spread on the islands of East Seram, that Koon Island has been bought by foreign investors.

Rizal and Aliana Nafsal (WWF-Indonesia) in a meeting with the Tubirtulu Fishermen Group, provided an understanding that according to the local agreement on conservation area management with the Petuanan Adat Negeri Kataloka, 3 core zones have been determined, namely spawning fish areas, coral reef conservation, and habitat for various types of fish. These three core zones are only 2% of the total area of the conservation area. It is not forbidden to take fish, but taking fish in the right place, which does not interfere with the growth of coral reefs, giving fish the opportunity to spawn and breed means saving wealth for the future.

I and Corporal Muklis Said Cokro from the Ambon Navy, who also participated in the meeting, saw how concerned the fishermen of Grogos Island were about the core zones in the north and south of the island. They objected to the prohibition of fishing in the area, saying that their income would be reduced. After all, the area is close to the island, and during the west season when the wind blows strongly from the north, the fishermen can fish in the southern part of the island. Vice versa, when the wind from the south blows during the east season, the fishermen can still fish in the northern part of the island.

"I dived around Koon Island in the 90s, the sea view was amazing. It was different when I returned in the 2000s, it turned out that many coral reefs had been damaged", said Sulaiman Siomlimbona from the East Seram Maritime & Fisheries Service who also participated in the meeting with the fishermen.

During the expedition, I saw two pinisi boats drop anchor near Koon Island. These tour boats brought dozens of foreign tourists to dive. Because indeed around this island coral reefs decorate to the bottom, not to mention hundreds of types of fish in it.

If the people of Grogos Island can recognize this tourism opportunity, it can certainly make the economy there spin. Moreover, the people of this island are famous for making salt fish (salted fish) and dried sea cucumbers which can be a typical culinary mainstay on this island. What is clear is that the waters around Koon Island are a 'paradise' in eastern Indonesia.

When the meeting was over and the expedition team returned to WWF-Indonesia's Menami ship located not far from Grogos Island, we saw fishermen in motorboats fishing in an area designated as a core zone area. Ironic!