Pontianak (27/3) - The signing of the West Kalimantan Marine Declaration at the Hall of the Marine and Fisheries Service (DKP) of West Kalimantan Province by relevant partners took place successfully, attended by 25 institutions and agencies related to marine conservation. The declaration aims to bring together all parties involved to realize joint work in the development and management of regional marine protected areas in West Kalimantan.

Earlier this year, the Governor of West Kalimantan, H. Sutarmidji, SH, M. Hum, signed the Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 1 of 2019 concerning the Zoning Plan for Coastal Areas and Small Islands (RZWP3K) of West Kalimantan. The RZWP3K regulation includes the reservation of four water locations that are proposed to be West Kalimantan Regional Marine Conservation Areas (KKP3K), namely Paloh Coastal Park KKP3K in Sambas Regency, Randayan Island Small Islands Park KKP3K in Bengkayang Regency, Kubu Raya Coastal Park KKP3K in Kubu Raya Regency and Kendawangan Small Islands Park KKP3K in Ketapang Regency with a total area of 740 thousand hectares.

The establishment of MPAs became one step closer with the issuance of the West Kalimantan RZWP3K Regional Regulation. Various coordinations were held by the West Kalimantan DKP in the plan to prepare the Zoning Management Plan (RPZ) and the establishment of a management unit which would later be included as a condition for the establishment of the area. One of the coordinations carried out was by inviting partners to a Partnership Meeting on February 26, 2019 at the Pontianak Coastal and Marine Resource Management Center (BPSPL) Meeting Hall. This coordination was attended by the Head of the Convention and Conservation Network Sub Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Firdaus Agung Kunto Kurniawan.

In his remarks, Firdaus explained about conservation management strategies, one of which is by strengthening institutions by developing partners and forming networks of marine protected areas. Firdaus said that limited resources such as funding, human resources and facilities and infrastructure encourage the formation of partnerships between management organizations (DKP) with community groups, indigenous peoples, NGOs, corporations, research institutions and universities. "With good cooperation in partnership for area management, the effectiveness of area management will be achieved," he added.

A follow-up to the Partnership Meeting was the signing of the West Kalimantan marine declaration by partners consisting of the West Kalimantan Regional Government, namely the West Kalimantan Regional Development Planning Agency; the West Kalimantan Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency; the West Kalimantan Transportation Agency; the West Kalimantan Community Empowerment and Village Government Agency; and the West Kalimantan Regional Secretariat Legal Bureau.

The declaration was also attended by representatives from the ministry, namely the Pontianak Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center; West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center; Pontianak Marine and Fisheries Resources Monitoring; and the Fish Quarantine Agency, Quality Control and Safety of Fishery Products Class I Fish Quarantine Station Supadio Pontianak.

Academic parties representing the marine declaration consist of several universities in West Kalimantan that have concentrated in the marine sector such as Tanjungpura University Pontianak, and Muhammadiyah University Pontianak.

The academics who represented the marine declaration consisted of several universities in West Kalimantan that have concentrated in the marine sector such as Tanjungpura University Pontianak, and Muhammadiyah University Pontianak.

While representatives from NGOs, groups, and organizations consisted of the West Kalimantan Maritime Partners Consortium; POSSI West Kalimantan; Orca Diving Club Pontianak; Jari Indonesia West Borneo; Jejak Pesisir Nusantara (JPN) West Kalimantan; Yayasan Sahabat Masyarakat Pantai (SAMPAN) West Kalimantan; Yayasan Planet Indonesia (YPI) West Kalimantan; WeBe Adventure Ketapang; Yayasan Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI); and WWF Indonesia.

Ir. Dionisius Endy, MMP, as the Head of Marine, Coastal and Small Islands Division of DKP West Kalimantan said that this declaration aims to introduce partners who work in their respective areas so that in the future there can be more intense cooperation between partners.

The points in the signed marine declaration include:

• Management planning and zoning of marine protected areas.
• Monitoring, protection and rehabilitation of fish habitats and populations.
• Institutional strengthening and capacity building of human resources for the management of conservation areas.
• Provision and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure for the management of marine protected areas; Improved supervision of marine protected areas.
• Monitoring, protection and rehabilitation of fish habitats and populations.
• Research and development of data/information in marine protected areas.
• Sustainable utilization of marine protected areas for the welfare of the community.
• Development of a sustainable funding system in the management of marine protected areas.

The Head of West Kalimantan DKP, Ir. Herti Herawati, MMA, said that DKP innovates by building partnership networks to achieve management targets. "West Kalimantan's marine potential and large network can help conservation work in the marine sector. With the declaration of commitment from the partners, it is expected to compile all the locations that have been reserved so as to accelerate the establishment of the area," she added. Herti will also coordinate with the Governor of West Kalimantan regarding the declaration that has been produced so that in the future it can be followed up into a legal decree.