Kalabahi, April 5, 2021 - The Maritime and Fisheries Service of East Nusa Tenggara Province in the Alor Regency Region in collaboration with the WWF Indonesia Foundation launched the Reef Health Monitoring (RHM) activity or coral reef health monitoring in the Pantar Strait Sanctuary Conservation Area (SAP) and the surrounding sea. RHM will be conducted from March 31 to April 13, 2021 at 47 observation locations spread from Northwest Pantar District to East Alor District.

RHM is one of the scientific research methods conducted to observe the impact of Marine Protected Area management on the condition of coral reef ecosystems both inside and outside the area. The results of observations will become recommendations for adaptive and collaborative management of the area to be more effective and efficient.

The series of RHM activities involved a joint team of coral reef researchers from various institutions, namely the NTT Provincial Maritime and Fisheries Service, the Alor Regency Fisheries Service, the National Marine Protected Areas Center (BKKPN) Kupang, the Denpasar Wilker NTT Coastal and Marine Resource Management Center (BPSPL), Diponegoro University Semarang and the WWF Indonesia Foundation.

"The Marine and Fisheries Service of NTT Province in Alor Regency as the Unit Management Organization (SUOP) of the Regional Marine Protected Area (MPA) SAP Pantar Strait and Surrounding Seas, is currently preparing a roadmap for the development of the MPA as a basis for collaborative management of the area to accommodate all interests in the MPA with the ultimate goal of improving the community's economy to encourage a prosperous Alor community." said Muhammad Saleh Goro as Head of the Marine Service Branch Office.

Further according to Muhammad Saleh Goro, "This collaborative activity is encouraged to start from the villages around the SAP MPA of Pantar Strait and its surrounding seas while still taking a customary and religious approach that is interconnected between all stakeholders both at the Center, NTT Province and Alor Regency. In addition, currently coordination is also carried out with various parties and preparing a revision of the Management and Zoning Plan (RPZ) document for the SAP MPA of Pantar Strait and its surrounding seas referring to the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation No. 31 of 2020 related to Conservation Area Management. We use the 2021 RHM data from the WWF Indonesia Foundation as a guideline in preparing the revised RPZ document for the SAP Selat Pantar MPA and its surrounding seas," he concluded during his opening remarks at Simfony Hotel, Kalabahi City (31/3).

The Pantar Strait SAP and Surrounding Sea conservation area was officially established through the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 35/KEPMEN-KP/2015 on June 16, 2016. This area has the potential for coral reef cover, mangrove forest ecosystems, seagrass ecosystems (Setyawan et al. 2018), as well as cetacean migration routes and home to a variety of charismatic marine megafauna such as: whales, dugongs, dolphins, whale sharks, rat sharks, manta rays and sea turtles. Survey data from 2002 showed that there were approximately 3,211 individuals of 11 cetacean species consisting of 5 whale species and 6 dolphin species (Kahn, 2002).

This observation activity is a repetition data collection (T2) from baseline data collection (T1) conducted in 2017, to see the status and trends of coral reef ecosystem health. In the previous observation, the cover of live hard corals was recorded at 32.5%. This condition decreased from the previous monitoring in 2014, which amounted to 36%.

"This observation activity will look again at the health condition of coral reefs after 3 years of protection efforts. We hope that the condition of coral reefs in the area will be better, so we can say that the protection efforts made so far have been effective," explained Tutus Wijanarko as Project Executant of WWF Indonesia Foundation.

In addition to observing the health condition of coral reefs, this observation activity also looks at the diversity of reef fish species and other megafauna (turtles, sharks, manta rays, etc.), and the diversity of macrobenthos (clams, sea cucumbers, starfish, crown of thorns, drupella, and lola). The results of these observations will serve as input for the Marine and Fisheries Service of NTT Province, Alor Regency Region, to be used in formulating future management plan strategies.

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Breaking News

Due to the situation and bad weather in the waters of the monitoring location, at this time the RHM team temporarily stopped its activities and stayed in Kalabahi (Capital of Alor District) until the situation allows it to resume.

For further information, please contact:

• Muhammad Saleh Goro, Branch Head of the Marine and Fisheries Service, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Alor Region | 0812-3699-1111 | msgoro78@gmail.com
• Karina Lestiarsi, Communication, Campaign & PR Team of WWF Indonesia Foundation | 0852-1816-1683 | klestiarsi@wwf.id