Author: Estradivari (WWF-Indonesia)

The twelfth day of sailing. My team and I are very happy because so far we have managed to collect data in 13 villages and 29 dive sites, exceeding the initial target number of samples for the expedition. Each village and dive site visited still has its own surprises and stories to tell.

Kris, from the Southwest Maluku Fisheries Agency, joined the team on October 5, 2015 from Tiakur Town, completing the 16-strong team on this expedition. As well as assisting with fisheries data collection, Kris was also tasked with contacting the village heads of the sample villages the day before the visit via local radio channels. We learned that the local government and its staff in the village had a single radio channel through which to communicate, an excellent alternative for areas with poor phone signal.

When the network is good and local staff are answering radio calls, communication via local radio channels is very helpful for coordination, as was the case in West Luang Village, East Luang Village and Elo Village. The Land Team was able to save time as the local communities were informed of the expedition team's visit and rapid survey activities. Not only that, the team was also informed about the right time to enter the village to avoid low tide and ensure that there were enough community representatives to participate in the interviews.

However, there were also times when local staff did not respond to our radio calls and the Land Team had to adapt to any conditions that might occur during the village visit. For example, the village head was reluctant to accept our arrival; the village was "empty" because the people we were targeting were at sea or in the fields working; the sea was low making it difficult for the boat to dock and enter the village; and even the lengthy wait for approval from village staff to carry out ecological, social and fisheries data collection in the village.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience this fascinating experience during the expedition and to have been able to motivate the team to better adapt to every situation, even the extreme ones.