Author: Ranny Ramadhani Yuneni (WWF-Indonesia's Shark & Ray Program Officer)

The Indonesian Shark and Ray Symposium organized by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and WWF-Indonesia in June 2015, was attended by more than 50 researchers from all over Indonesia. These researchers contributed by publishing their research on sharks and rays in Indonesia. [Read also: Sustainable Management of Sharks and Rays in Indonesia].

After several stages of review since the research results were presented, the results of the symposium in the form of a proceedings document have been published by KKP and WWF-Indonesia in mid-March 2016. The proceedings can be downloaded here.

The proceedings of the Indonesian Sharks and Rays Symposium formulate several points regarding priority policies that need to be implemented in supporting shark and ray management in Indonesia based on the latest information and studies, which include:

• Shark and ray fishery stocks, such as data collection of important shark and ray species and the need to increase human resource capacity in data collection systems;
• Shark and ray utilization related to trade and tourism, such as developing best practice guidelines and encouraging pilot sites for the development of shark and ray ecotourism as an alternative to the utilization of both animals; and
• Shark and ray management policies, such as encouraging the protection of important habitats.

Along with the latest shark and ray research information that has passed the review stage by these researchers, it is hoped that it can support the strengthening of the National Action Plan (NAP) related to shark and ray management in Indonesia. Safeguarding endangered shark and ray fisheries resources requires not only public awareness, but also regular monitoring of transparent shark and ray management, as well as agreement on the need for regular symposia to update data regularly.

Let's stand up for Indonesia's shark and ray! Let's stand up for Indonesia's shark and ray!