Control sites are sampling sites that are located outside the borders of Alor KKPD. Having data from control sites is important in order to measure and evaluate how the Alor KKPD affects the marine environment within their borders.

While it is good and important enough to have continuous monitoring data from within the KKPD to measure changes over time, having continuous monitoring data from outside the KKPD will enable us to see if there are also changes that happens naturally in the whole area, which may affect marine environments both within and outside the KKPD. These data would also enable us to see if the presence of KKPD makes the marine environment within more able to withstand bad natural events, such as storms, disease outbreaks, etc.

For example, when data taken in 2014 is compared to 2015 and 2016, we may see a significant increase in fish population or coral cover. If we only have data from the KKPD, then we cannot say whether this increase is an effect of the KKPD, or that there is a general improvement in ecological conditions throughout the whole area. By having data from outside the KKPD, we can differentiate changes in fish population due to the presence of a protected area from natural changes, and we can also see whether the KKPD improves any positive change, or buffers any negative change, in fish population and/or coral covers.

This is also a good time to take our samples, as the Alor KKPD is still waiting to be officially declared by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, while the Flores Timur KKPD is still undergoing the zoning scheme design process. Therefore the data that we gather now can be considered as baseline data, as it is obtained before the KKPD comes into full force, and by comparing our data with future data to be collected in the coming years, we can measure periodic changes taking place in each sampling site.