Kupang, 15/08/2019, DKP East Flores branch office staff who oversee the Lembata, East Flores and Sikka MPAs participated in improving the ability of human resources (HR) through the application of the Special Work Competency Certification (SK3) Planning and Management of Conservation Areas. This activity was held by the National Marine Protected Areas Center (BKKPN) Kupang, on August 13-14, 2019.

The training activity was attended by 30 participants from BKKPN Kupang, BPSPL Denpasar Wiker NTT, PSDKP Kupang Station, East Flores Marine and Fisheries Branch Office (KCD), Kupang Marine and Fisheries KCD, Rote Ndao and Sabu Raijua Marine and Fisheries KCD, Alfa Omega Foundation, Lifuleo Village Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), Tafeun TTS Turtle Breeding Group, Sabu Raijua Turtle Breeding Group, Sea Gull Turtle Breeding Group, Oenggaut Village Pokdarwis and Sabu Raijua Conservation activists.

This training was conducted to improve the ability of Maritime Human Resources. Based on data from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, until 2018 177 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established with an area of 20.88 million hectares (6.42% of the sea area) throughout Indonesia, these results have exceeded the national target of 20 million hectares. In an effort to increase the effectiveness of area management, maritime human resources who are competent in managing these marine protected areas are needed.

The materials provided in the training are: 1) Basic principles of marine protected area (MPA) management; 2) Important processes and interactions in coastal and marine ecosystems; 3) Principles of educational activities for MPA management; and 4) Principles of sustainable fisheries activities in MPAs. The training was followed by a competency test from the Ministry of Maritime Coordination (Kemenkomar) in collaboration with the Marine Professional Certification Institute (LSP) and WWF-Indonesia. WWF-Indonesia was appointed as the competency test implementation site (TUK), located at Hotel Sotis Kupang on August 15, 2019 as "TUK PERMANENTLY".

Of the 30 participants who took the competency test, all participants were declared competent in planning and managing marine protected areas. Including the Head of East Flores KCD and 2 of his staff who are the East Flores SAP Management Unit. KCD East Flores oversees three regional marine protected areas namely East Flores SAP of East Flores district (150,000 Ha), Lembata District MPA (207,062.53 Ha) and Sikka District MPA (76,722 Ha).

This year, there have been 4 staff of the regional marine protected area management unit (KKPD) of NTT Province who have participated in human resource capacity building on marine protected area planning and management. One head of the Alor Marine and Fisheries KCD who manages the Pantar Strait SAP and the Surrounding Sea in Alor district (and 3 staff from the East Flores Marine and Fisheries KCD were declared competent. With the increase in the number of human resources of KCD Marine and Fisheries (276,693.38 Ha) NTT as the MPA management unit of NTT Province who are competent in planning and managing marine protected areas, it is expected to increase the effectiveness of MPA management in NTT Province.