RI-US team discovers 52 new marine species

Gracey Wakary, The Jakarta Post, Manado | Tue, 08/10/2010 9:55 AM

Sangihe Talaud, the two-month long deep-sea exploration project led by scientists from Indonesia and the US, officially ended Monday at Bitung Port in North Sulawesi.

Gellwyn Jusuf, the Indonesian representative of the Sangihe Talaud expedition, which was also called Index Satal, said he hoped the bilateral cooperation behind the team effort could be continued.

“This is ourfirst deep-sea research with the NOAA Okeanos and supported by every relevant agency here in Indonesia,” said Jusuf, who is also head of the Maritime Research and Fisheries Agency (BRKP).

“The maritime affairs and fishery minister hopes that this cooperative effort can put Indonesian researchers on par with international researchers. We hope this cooperation can be further sustained,” he added.

The 2010 Index Satal, which lasted for two months, was a bilateral Indonesian-US research expedition intended to explore the fields of maritime biology, geology, oceanography, deep sea exploration technology and maritime information technology.

The expedition was expected to advance understanding of undersea ecosystems, particularly those associated with submarine volcanoes and hydrothermal vents.

The geographical area of operation for the research expedition was entirely within the Coral Triangle Region, the global heart of shallow-water marine biodiversity.

Scientists used a remotely operated vehicle to get a glimpse of deepwater biodiversity in the waters of Sangihe-Talaud region.

At the end of the expedition, 52 new species of were discovered 300-2,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface, including fish, shrimp, coral and shells.

Researchers also identified six sea mounts near North Siau Island and two sea mounts near Bunaken.

“We found the sea mounts 700-1,600 meters below the sea,” said Indonesian deep sea research team leader Sugiarta Wirasantoso.

Secretary to the coordinating public welfare minister Indroyono Soesilo said the bilateral cooperation was of great advantage to Indonesia, especially in research and development and in exploring available natural marine resources.

“The deep-sea research expedition involving the research ship Baruna Jaya and the US’ NOAA Okeanos Explorer is the Indonesian people’s investment in exploring the diverse potential of the available undersea life which could be used for the sake of humanity,” said Soesilo.

Kristen Bauer, the US Consul General in Surabaya, also attended the closing ceremonies of the expedition, which is expected to be followed by another deep sea research voyage called Index Halmahera.

Indonesia has potential as biggest fish exporter

Antara News, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 02:09 WIB

Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA News) - Consultant of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Erik Hempel said Indonesia may be the world`s biggest fish exporting country.

"We know that Indonesia has big fish resources and therefore may have the potential to become the most fish exporter," Erik Hempel told a national workshop in Banda Aceh Tuesday.

Erik Hembel said the impost important key to become an exporter is the need to develop information and international trade regulations.

The per capita fish consumption in the world had been increasing and predicted that in 2010 the world fish production will reach 150 tons, so that the chance to become the biggest fish exporting country may be realized.

But several considerations need to be noted namely that fish need always to be fresh.

The fish imports and exports of the developing and developed countries are in a good balance.

It has been estimated that the biggest fish exporting country in 2007 is China with 11 percent, followed by Norway seven percent, and Thailand six percent, while Indonesia with only two percent in 2007, ranking only the 12th in the world`s fish exports.

In the meantime, the biggest fish importing country in the same year are the developed countries with 79 percent, the European Union with 43 percent, and the developing countries only 21 percent.

US, Indonesia Explore Uncharted Deep Sea

Jakarta Globe, Foster Klug, June 22, 2010

Scientists aboard the United States research vessel Okeanos Explorer, pictured, and their Indonesian counterparts on Thursday begin the first joint deep-sea exploration by both nations.

Washington. A deep-sea expedition by the United States and Indonesia sets off this week to explore one of the world's last frontiers, an adventure that researchers hope could lead to cures for diseases and help in predicting deadly tsunamis.

Scientists portray the trip to Indonesian waters as a throwback to a time when explorers blazed new trails into unknown territory.The expedition, which is set to begin Thursday and wrap up in early August, is the maiden voyage for a high-tech US science ship and the first joint deep-sea exploration by Indonesia and the United States.

Scientists will use a powerful sonar mapping system and a robotic vehicle equipped with high-definition video cameras to explore hundreds of square miles north of the Indonesian archipelago, providing an extraordinary glimpse of one of the globe's most diverse, complex and little-known marine ecosystems.

"The world's oceans are great mysteries to us, but there are few greater mysteries than this area in Indonesia that we're going to be exploring," Craig McLean, who oversees oceanic exploration for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in an interview.

Indeed, while a dozen men have been to the moon and back, only two have explored the deepest ocean and returned to tell the tale. This voyage won't be adding to that list; an unmanned, remote-controlled vessel will be exploring the deep sea.

Probing the ocean's depths is a potentially dangerous affair, with only a small number of countries and research centers investing in the effort. NOAA takes part in several international missions a year, but officials describe this one as its most complex.

A major goal is to create a high-resolution map of the ocean floor that will help scientists better understand how tsunamis form and make more accurate models to forecast the earthquake-spawned waves in the future. The region straddles a series of fault lines, making it very seismically active. In 2004, an earthquake off western Indonesia triggered tsunamis that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries.

Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries Fadel Muhammad said scientists also want to explore ecosystems living around underwater volcanoes, some of which remain active.

Oceans cover about 70 percent of the earth's surface, but little is known about the sea floor. And not just remote parts of the Pacific; US officials say they've only mapped a small part of the exclusive economic zone that extends into waters off the American shore.

"There actually is a reasonable degree of artistic fiction included in most world maps that portray the ocean," McLean said. "Our job, among many, is to fill in those blanks."

The exploration might even point the way to cures for human diseases. Though the mission is not primarily designed to snap up thousands of samples of plants and sea animals, Indonesian scientists will collect specimens that could have medicinal qualities, such as attacking harmful bacteria or fighting the spread of cancer cells. An example of such a compound is discodermolide, a potential cancer drug extracted from a deep-water sponge.

Scientists from both countries say this venture is mostly about exploration, meaning they will allow their curiosity to guide them.The United States will send scientists and a converted US Navy ship, the Okeanos Explorer, to Indonesian waters. Indonesia's contribution is a research vessel, the Baruna Jaya IV, which will collect specimens that, together with all rights for future use, will remain in the country. The United States hopes to join in collections at a future date.

The Okeanos comes equipped with a multi-beam sonar mapping system that can generate high-resolution, wide-angle images in very deep water.It also has a remote-controlled robotic vehicle, about as big as a small sports utility vehicle, that's attached to the ship by a cable and capable of operating at depths more than twice the mile-deep oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It has chemical sensors, movable arms, high-definition video cameras and a strong lighting system. Images will be transmitted to the ship by fiber-optic cables, beamed to a satellite and then sent to scientists on shore.

John McDonough, deputy director of the NOAA office of ocean exploration and research, said these scientists can contribute to the expedition by asking the pilot on the ship steering the robotic vehicle to pursue whatever strikes their fancy.

"The real objective here is to find something of interest that the science communities will want to come back to," McDonough said. "It's really establishing a sense of place." 

Associated Press

Fishers call for strong action to prevent bycatching

Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Fri, 06/18/2010 10:29 AM

Fishers from local communities and private companies in the Coral Triangle region have called for a stronger partnership and collaborative measures to prevent the unintended capture of animals in commercial fishing gear.

A three-day forum, which closed here Thursday, discussed ways to prevent the phenomenon, which in the industry is known as “bycatching”. The forum heard that millions of marine animals were inadvertently killed every year by the fisheries industry in the Coral Triangle.

Bycatching is a major cause of death of endangered species, such as turtles, sharks, marine mammals, as well as thousands of tons of fish species that are not eaten that get entangled in fishing gear each year, the forum heard.

“Such ineffective fishing practices are undoubtedly depleting our highly valuable marine species on which millions of people depend for food and income,” said Keith Symington, bycatch strategy leader of the coral triangle program at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

“This forum has created a collaborative platform for fishers to start working closely together to solve bycatching and secure a more sustainable and equitable future for the fishing industry in this region,” he said.

The forum was jointly held by the WWF, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC).

Some 100 participants at the forum collectively agreed on a set of recommendations, including mainstreaming bycatching regulations in regional legislation and implementing them into national policies, as well as providing incentives to fishermen to turn to more environmentally friendly catching methods.

Other recommendations included conducting more research and studies to inform decisions on policy.

The forum also agreed to establish partnerships with academic institutions and fisheries schools to raise awareness about bycatching among new fishermen.

“It is urgent for fishers in this region to transform their practices into more eco-friendly ones and cooperate with key players across the entire supply-chain to ensure the health of ocean resources and the future of their business as well,” Symington said.

Narmoko Prasmadji, the ministry’s representative and the executive secretary of the national coordination committee of Coral Triangle Initiative Indonesia, said the ministry would support a plan of action arrived at during the meeting in line with its own policy of reducing bycatching.

“The bycatching issue should be included in the mainstream of the national fisheries policy and should be well implemented and legally enforced,” he said.

The SEAFDEC noted that many fishing operations were guilty of bycatching, with many simply throwing unwanted dead catches back into the sea.

Some shrimp trawling operations can discard up to 90 percent of their catches, while some fishing

operations kill seabirds, turtles and dolphins, sometimes in large numbers.

The Ministry’s Center for Analysis and International Cooperation estimated that 15 percent of every 5-ton catch was bycatch, while the FAO estimated commercial fishing wasted at least 27 tons of marine resources every year due to indiscriminate fishing.

Since 2006, WWF Indonesia and the ministry have initiated a bycatch mitigation program that requires the use of circle hooks for long-line tuna fishing in harbors in Benoa in Bali and Bitung in North Sulawesi.

RI undecided on underwater heritage convention

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 06/03/2010 10:36 AM

Despite being rich in sunken treasure, Indonesia is undecided whether to ratify a world convention that protects underwater cultural heritage, a senior official said Wednesday at a workshop for officials and academics in Jakarta.

“Indonesia still needs to carefully weigh up the benefits and consequences of ratifying [the convention],” Hari Untoro Drajat, the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s director general for history and archaeology said.

He said ratifying the UNESCO convention on protection of the underwater cultural heritage needed careful preparation, including adequate legislation, human resources, infrastructure and funding.

The convention was adopted by UNESCO in 2001, and has been ratified by 31 countries as of May this year. Cambodia is the only signatory in Asia.

According to Masanori Nagaoka, the head of culture unit of UNESCO office in Jakarta, the convention carries four main principles: The obligation to preserve underwater cultural heritage, in situ preservation preferred, no commercial exploitation, and training and information sharing.

Arief Rachman from the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO said the third principle has been the most challenging for Indonesia.

Last month, the government, through the National Committee of Excavation and Utilization of Precious Artifacts from Sunken Ships, conducted an auction of around 271,000 artifacts, including ceramics from China’s Zheijang province and a gold sword from the Middle East, collected from a ship presumed to have sunk around 900 years ago in waters off Cirebon, West Java.

The auction was a flop with no bidders registering, but the government said it would maintain its effort to sell the artifacts, which had been excavated by a private company five years ago.

Many, ranging from royalty to academics and history enthusiasts, opposed to the auction, but the committee defended it, saying a number of unique items had been conserved.

Supratikno Rahardjo from the University of Indonesia said there were risks that the government should take if it chooses to ratify the convention.

The consequences of what he called “option two” — ratifying the convention as soon as possible as opposed to the first option of delaying it up to a certain period — include the government paying back investors the costs of obtaining permits for recovering sunken treasures.

“If it were up to us, we would like the government to take option two,” he said.

Chairijah, the director for international law at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, said Indonesia could ratify the convention with a law or a Presidential Regulation.

Regardless of whether Indonesia chooses to ratify the convention or not, the country should stop referring to the heritage as “treasures” to be hunted and traded in, the workshop concluded.

Indonesia waters yield 53 percent of world`s pearls

Antara News, Friday, May 7, 2010 15:24 WIB

Lombok Barat, W Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - At least 53 percent of the world`s finest types of pearl is to be found in Indonesian waters, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said here on Thursday.

"Indonesia has good pearl industry prospects because 53 percent of the world`s finest types of pearl is to be found in our waters," Fadel Muhammad said after witnessing a harvest of Lombok pearl farmers at Senggigi in Lombok Barat district, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province.

Therefore, Fadel said, he would involve pearl experts in the activity of Lpmbok Barat pearl breeders so that their product would have the quality most admired by jewelers.

He said the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry was determined to have the world`s finest pearls in 2012 from producing areas of Lombok, Maluku, and Papua.

Fadel said Indonesia had such a determination because the pearl price in the country two years ago had dropped as it lost in international competition.

According to the maritime affairs and fisheries minister, the drop in the price of Indonesian pearls was due to three factors, namely lack of marketing personnel abroad, lack of technology in cultivation, and little support from the banking world.

"I came to know this after I coordinated with the Indonesian Pearl Cultivators` Association (Asbumi)," Fadel said, expressing hope that pearl cultivation in Lombok island would continue to make good progress as expected by all parties because the historically the development of world-class pearls had something to do with Lombok island.

He said the "pitada maxima" pearl, the world largest species, was rumored to have originally come from Lombok which then continued to move to China until the United States.

"I admit that my visit to Lombok has something to do with an effort to cultivate world class pearls in one package with tourism development," Fadel said.

Related Article:

NTB sets eyes on becoming an iconic place for pearls

RI ranked 11th as world fishery exporter

Antara News, Thursday, May 6, 2010 16:18 WIB

Manado, N Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is ranked 11th on the list of the world`s fishery exporter countries with exports worth US$1.79 billion, a trade official said.

"Indonesia`s market share in the world`s fishery exports accounts for 1.74 percent of the world`s total fishery exports," Djoko Purnomo, head of the fishery export affairs of the Directorate General of External Trade, said here on Thursday.

He said that the world`s fishery exports in 2008 were recorded at US$72.67 billion, or an increase of 7.94 percent if compared with that in 2005 which stood at US$57.66 billion.

Indonesia`s fishery product export destinations included the United States (29.04 percent), Japan (16.90 percent), China (3.66 percent), Hong Kong (3.14 percent), Singapore (3.05 percent), Thailand 2(.34 percent), Malaysia (2.23 percent) and South Korea (2.18 percent).

The country`s fishery exports were dominated by shrimps worth US$845 million (47 percent) followed by frozen fish valued at 228 million dollars, or 12 percent, fresh fish worth 225 million dollars (12 percent), fillet, fish meat and seaweeds.

According to Purnomo, Indonesia`s major exporter provinces in Indonesia`s western region included East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Lampung and Central Java.

In the eastern region, major exporter provinces are South Sulawesi, Bali, Maluku, North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi, he said.

Whale population in Indonesia decreases

English.news.cn 2010-05-03 13:24:26

JAKARTA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Whale population in the waters of Indonesia's Lamalera has been decreasing in the last three years, supposedly caused by the mammal's movement, Kompas daily quoted residents as saying on Monday.

Traditional fishermen in Lamalera of East Nusa Tenggara province's Lembata regency, said that the decrease resulted in declining whale capture.

According to Martinus Hulu, a tribeman of Lelaona in Lamalera, whales captured in 2007 were about 30, decreasing to 20s in 2008 and two in 2009.

"So far this year we only had captured two in March," said Martinus on Sunday.

Katarina Beto Key, another resident of Lamalera, said the decreasing capture was a concern as people rely on the whale capture to support their economic needs.

People usually capture spermwhale or Physeter macrocephalus.

The Representative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Lembata regency, Februanti, said that she was not sure about the cause.

"We need a deeper analysis. However, it might be caused by natural factor or whale movement," she said.

Indonesia’s Seaweed Export Value to China up by 400 Percent

Tempo Interactive, Thursday, 22 April, 2010 | 16:05 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar: China has become South Sulawesi’s biggest seaweed market. This can be seen from the export value that skyrocketed from US$ 2,574 million in 2008 to US$ 10,603 million 2009, a 400 percent increase.

“The reason is simple; China has just imported seaweed directly from us,” said Arman Arfah, chairman of South Sulawesi Farmer and Seaweed Processor Association, yesterday.

Earlier, Indonesia’s main destination for seaweed exports was the Philippines. Then, China imported the commodity from the Philippines. However, since the Indonesian Seaweed Forum was held in Makassar in 2008, Indonesia began exporting directly to China.

The international forum is held every three years. The next assembly will take place in 2011.

In general, the export value of Indonesia’s seaweed from 2008 to 2009 increased by five percent. The total export value in 2009 amounted to US$ 17,619 million.

Indonesia is ranked fourth in the world’s seaweed exporter list. Indonesia’s major seaweed market is China, the Philippines, South Korea, Chile, and Vietnam.

The government continues to intensify programs improving seaweed production. At present, the country produces two million tons of wet seaweed per year. Meanwhile the Maritime and Fishery Ministry’s target for 2014 is 10 million tons per year.

The government is also making efforts to improve and set a standard quality. The world’s demand in wet seaweed is six million tons per year.

To avoid excessive production if the government’s target is achieved, the South Sulawesi Farmer and Seaweed Processor Association is implementing a program promoting the consumption of seaweed and healthy fibrous foods.

“Seaweed is healthy, so we should not export all of it,” Arman said.

FADHILAH NAZIF

Illegal fishing still remains in S. Sulawesi waters

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, South Sulawesi | Sun, 04/18/2010 7:16 PM

Illegal fishing activities using explosives remain occurred in the waters of Kapoposang Island in Pangkajene dan Kepulauan [Pangkep], South Sulawesi. The area is a preserved national marine park, a navy official says.Makassar Navy seabase commander Bambang Wahyudin said Sunday that his personnel often heard blasts in the waters. “Sometime we could catch them [illegal fishers], but in another time we fail as they manage to run away,” he added.Bambang said that his team is pursuing those who distribute raw material and make the bombs.

Illegal fishing activities using explosives remain occurred in the waters of Kapoposang Island in Pangkajene dan Kepulauan [Pangkep], South Sulawesi. The area is a preserved national marine park, a navy official says.

Makassar Navy seabase commander Bambang Wahyudin said Sunday that his personnel often heard blasts in the waters. “Sometime we could catch them [illegal fishers], but in another time we fail as they manage to run away,” he added.

Bambang said that his team is pursuing those who distribute raw material and make the bombs.

News Focus: Maluku to show economic potentials through `investment Day`

Antara News, by Bustanuddin, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 06:10 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - In its first-ever effort to attract investment to develop its marine-resource-rich territory, Maluku`s provincial administration is to stage a "Maluku Investment Day."

The event will take place in Jakarta on April 15-16 and is expected to be attended by around 150 entrepreneurs.

Maluku Investment Day will be held as part of Maluku`s efforts to speed up economic development in the province that has nine districts and two city administrations, Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said.

The governor made the statement at a meeting with Antara`s editorial board members here on Monday.

Ralahalu, who was on the occasion accompanied by head of the Maluku provincial Investment Coordinating Board, Rahman Soumena, said the event was intended to introduce Maluku`s marine tourism potentials to the international community, and to convince them that the province was really safe for tourists and investors.

The Maluku provincial administration in cooperation with state-owned PT Bank Mandiri had made the necessary preparations for the Investment Day prior to the international marine event "Sail Banda" which will take place in Ambon city, Maluku`s provincial capital.

The Sail Banda, which will be participated in by some 200 foreign participants, will take place from July to August 2010, Governor Ralahalu said.

In addition, head of the Maluku Investment Coordinating Board (BKPMD), A Rachman Soumena said Maluku wished to raise its economic growth from the current 6.3 percent to 8.35 percent in 2013 if the province can earn about Rp1.8 trillion of income per year.

Speaking in Ambon last Feb 17, Soemena said entrepreneurs would be invited to attend an expose of Maluku`s economic potentials, especially its marine biodiversity, oil/gas and mineral resources.

The province`s potentials would be enumerated and elaborated on by the heads of Maluku`s 11 districts/cities , Soumena said, adding that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Boediono, several ministers, 30 Bank Mandiri customers, the chiefs of state-owned national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and Merpati and all ranking administration officials of Maluku and North Maluku were expected to attend the investment expose.

In addition, the ministers of finance, maritime resources and fisheries , culture and tourism , coordinating minister for economic affairs, the ministers of state enterprises (BUMN), national development planning would also be invited, Soumena said.

Academics from Pattimura University (Unpatti), Ambon, and Sultan Hairun University (Unhair), Ternate, North Maluku, officials of state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, representatives of state electricity company PT PLN, state telecommunications company PT Telkom, and airport operators (Angkasa Pura) in Maluku would also be invited.

"If any of the investors on the occasion wishes to invest in one of the districts in Maluku or North Maluku, they can immediately sign a deal with the district chief concerned," Soumena said.

The Investment Day would also be part of the central government`s policy to carry out Sail Banda, Maluku Vice Governor Said Assegaf disclosed, adding that the meeting and an exhibition was aimed to improve the relations between the provincial government, district and city administrations to promote the regional investment potentials.

In the meantime, head of Bank Mandiri`s regional office, Edhi Chrystanto, said his office had also organized Papua Investment Day in Jakarta some time ago, to expand its market segment in eastern Indonesia.

He expressed hope that the Maluku Investment Day can attract investors in the exploration and exploitation of natural resources particularly marine biodiversity as well as oil and minerals.

Maluku as one of the oldest provinces in Indonesia, is known to have socio-cultural diversity and abundant natural resources.

The province, located in eastern Indonesia, has 1,027 islands, thus it is popularly called the `Thousand Islands` province with its capital, Ambon.

The larger islands include Seram (1,862,500 Ha), Halmahera (1,800,000 Ha), Buru (900,00 Ha), Yamdena (805,800 Ha), Obi (370,000 Ha), Wetar (362,400 Ha) and Morotai (180,000 Ha).

Apart from the natural tourist attractions, visitors can also come to Fort Amsterdam, located on a beach.

In addition to the panoramic beauty of the beach, the fort was witness of the foreign occupation of Maluku.

Spokesman for the Ambon branch of Bank Indonesia (Central Bank)Totok Hermianto said in Ambon that Bank Indonesia and a number of other banks such as Bank BRI, Bank Central Asia (BCA), and Bank BNI will also provide services for financial transactions in Banda to support the event."

Totok said that he had discussed the event with the leaders of the banks operating in Ambon, and they agreed to open banking service counters in Banda.

"Foreign tourists visiting Banda, as well as the participants of Sail Banda 2010 will find it easy to make financial transactions following the opening of the banking service counters in Banda during the international event," Totok said.

Totok expressed hope that the promotion of Sail Banda would be intensified in order to have a good impact on Maluku`s economic development.

Meanwhile, Transportation Director General of the Ministry Air Transportation Herry Bakti said his office was ready to support the Sail Banda.

The most important thing is to prepare reliable telephone and Internet infrastructure, as this will facilitate communications and telecommunications so that people will not all have to gather in Ambon if they want to promote Banda," he said.

Meanwhile, General Manager of state-owned airport managing company, PT Angkasa Pura I of Pattimura airport branch office, Gerits Mailesun said that several airline companies such as Lion Air, Batavia Air, Sriwijaya and Wings have expressed readiness to provide excellent services to the participants of the international maritime events.

In an effort to attract more investors to invest in the province, Soumena said the provincial government would set up a so-called "One-Stop Service" for would-be investors.

Management of RI’s marine resources

The Jakarta Post, Ketut Sarjana Putra & Mark V. Erdmann, Conservation International Indonesia Marine Program, Tue, 04/13/2010 10:57 AM

A smart approach: The ultra-diverse marine resources of West Papua are now being managed with a seascape-level approach. (C) CI-I/MVErdmann

When it comes to coral reefs, Indonesia is a country of superlatives: Not only does it have more coral reef area than any other nation (18 percent of the world’s total reefs), it also ranks first globally for diversity of hard coral species – with more than 620 species or more than 75 percent of the world’s total – and coral reef fish species (more than 2,200 species).

And while they provide billions of dollars’ worth of fisheries products, tourism revenues and ecosystem services such as coastline protection, Indonesia’s reefs are also among the most threatened in the world.

Against this background, it is most appropriate that in August 2007, President Yudhoyono announced that Indonesia would take a position of global leadership in stewardship of coral reefs with the launching of the “Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security” to improve the management of the world’s most diverse reefs and ensure that they continue to provide benefits to Indonesia long into the future (see www.cti-secretariat.net for more information).

In order to guide the implementation of this ambitious Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), five priority outcomes have been agreed to by the six countries within the CTI, with the first outcome to “designate priority seascapes and ensure their effective management.”

But what exactly, you might ask, is a seascape?

Quite simply, a seascape is a large-scale marine management unit that takes into account the prevalence of “connectivity” in the marine environment and the need to manage the oceans at much larger scales than we normally consider for land-based resources management.

A seascape approach recognizes, for instance, that managing fish stocks is a very different proposition to managing a herd of cattle or a production forest (wherein a 5-hectare plot may be considered a large management unit).

By comparison, many fish species may travel tens to hundreds of kilometers in order to reproduce at a spawning aggregation site, after which the eggs they produce hatch into tiny planktonic fish larvae that may drift with ocean currents for many more kilometers yet again before the fish settle and become adults.

To effectively manage this stock demands a management approach that takes into account the full dispersal and migration capabilities of the fish, which may require an area of millions, if not hundreds of millions of hectares of marine environment.

Similarly, threats to the marine environment such as pollution from oil spills or sedimentation from poor land use practices also require a large-scale approach to management. The fluid nature of the ocean means that an oil spill in one regency will rarely stay contained and may soon threaten the coastline of surrounding regencies.

Just as importantly, human use of marine resources is typically on a large-scale as well; while a farmer may spend his whole life tending a hectare of rice paddy, even small-scale fishers in Indonesia may regularly travel hundreds of kilometers to catch fish (not to mention the larger commercial fleets!).

These important differences between the marine and terrestrial environment require that we take a large-scale, seascape approach to governing Indonesia’s marine realm.

Unfortunately, marine management in Indonesia (and the world, for that matter!) has traditionally taken a much smaller, and often project-based, approach to managing reefs and fish stocks. As an example, many villages have been encouraged to set aside small-scale marine protected areas (MPAs) to provide a refuge for important fish broodstock and ensure the sustainability of their local capture fisheries. Unfortunately, managed in isolation, these MPAs will do little to provide real food security due to the reasons stated above. Management of the marine realm necessarily must be large-scale to be truly effective.

But what exactly is the right scale for a seascape-level approach in Indonesia? While there are examples globally of seascapes that cross international boundaries, we believe strongly that the most appropriate scale for a seascape in Indonesia is at the provincial level.

From a practical standpoint, Indonesia’s governance system already has in place mechanisms for coordination between regencies within a single province. While management of resources across provincial boundaries (or even national boundaries with Indonesia’s neighbors) is possible, the extensive coordination and mutual goodwill required to make such management effective is extremely time-consuming and frequently not practical.

Fortunately, Indonesia already has one working example of a seascape approach to ocean governance in West Papua Province. Though still a work in progress, the Bird’s Head Seascape initiative has brought together the provincial and regency governments of West Papua along with local and international NGOs and coastal community leaders to develop a truly large-scale approach to managing the rich marine resources of the area.

The centerpiece of the Bird’s Head Seascape initiative has been the designation of an ecologically-connected network of ten large MPAs across the seascape, from Kaimana to Raja Ampat to the Abun leatherback turtle MPA in Tambrau to Cendrawasih National Marine Park off Manokwari – for a total of nearly 3.6 million hectares now managed in multiple-use MPAs. While each of these MPAs has their own local management unit, there is also strong coordination between the MPAs and the provincial government is recognizing this overall MPA network in its marine spatial plan as a key tool for ensuring food security from sustainable capture fisheries. The governments of West Papua now also realize the vital importance of maintaining intact catchments and estuary areas, which again due to the connectivity of the marine realm are exceedingly important to many fisheries and maintaining good water quality on coral reefs.

The seascape approach in West Papua goes beyond the MPA network, however.

This integrated management approach is also being used to foster the rapid but sustainable development of marine tourism in the region. The approach is certainly working; Raja Ampat is now one of the most sought-after dive destinations in the world, while Kaimana and Cendrawasih Bay are slated as the next big growth areas.

With Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Fadel Muhammad’s renewed focus on expanding aquaculture production, the seascape approach will also be critical for maintaining the intact marine ecosystems required to both produce healthy adult broodstock and ensure long-term productivity of aquaculture investments.

It is our strong belief that Indonesia’s new focus on a seascape-level approach will usher in a new era in effective marine resource management in Indonesia. More information on the seascape approach and the Bird’s Head Seascape initiative can be found at www.conservation.org.

Ketut Sarjana Putra is the director of Marine Program for Conservation International-Indonesia, one of the Indonesia leading scientist on turtle conservation and sustainable fisheries management. Mark Erdmann is the senior adviser for Conservation International Marine Program, a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation who has (co) authored over 90 scientific articles and two books.

World's deepest known undersea volcanic vent found

The Jakarta Post, Associated Press, London | Mon, 04/12/2010 10:43 PM

Scientists using a remote-controlled submarine have discovered the deepest known volcanic vent and say the superheated waters inside could contain undiscovered marine species and perhaps even clues to the origin of life on earth.

Experts aboard the RRS James Cook said they found the vent more than three miles (five kilometers) beneath the surface of the Caribbean in an area known as the Cayman Trough, a deep-sea canyon that served as the setting for James Cameron's underwater thriller "The Abyss."

Volcanic vents are networks of small cracks that penetrate deep into the earth's crust, where temperatures can reach 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius). Sea water seeps into the openings, where it's heated to extreme temperatures and expelled into the icy cold of the deep ocean.

Minerals in the water precipitate as it cools, creating a smoke-like effect and leaving behind towering chimneys. The spectacular pressure - 500 times stronger than the earth's atmosphere - keeps the water from boiling.

Geologist Bramley Murton, the submersible's pilot, said the exploring the area was "like wandering across the surface of another world," one complete with towers of mineral deposits and thick collections of microorganisms thriving in the slightly cooler waters around the chimneys.

"The rainbow hues of the mineral spires and the fluorescent blues of the microbial mats covering them were like nothing I had ever seen before," Murton said.

Scientists exploring other vents have discovered host lush colonies of exotic animals such as hairy worms, blind shrimp and giant white crabs.

Obama To Bring Climate Change Agenda To Indonesia

Antara News, Friday, March 26, 2010 04:14 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - US President Barack Obama who has delayed until next June his planned visit to Indonesia will bring three agenda items on climate change, a WWF official said.

"There are three agenda items, namely forest and peat land management, clean technology and climate change, and coral triangle," WWF-Indonesia Program Director for climate and energy affairs, Fitrian Ardiansyah said here on Thursday.

Fitrian said that for the forest and peat land management, the United States would see how far Indonesia could cut its gas emissions and the chance for cooperation.

"There is a tropical forest conversion program where a fund would be made available for the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) scheme," she said.

If Indonesia is able to formulate it, there would be a clean technology such as renewable energy technology and energy conservation, she said.

Regarding the coral triangle, the United States will continue its scientific research and coral reef protection programs.

"We hope with the visit of Obama there would be comprehensive bilateral cooperation, but all this would depend on the ability of Indonesia to make use of this opportunity, provide a clear proposal and show its priorities to the United States," Fitrian said.

Ambon to host coastal resources management conference

Antara News, Tuesday, March 23, 2010 16:00 WIB

Ambon (ANTARA News) - The 7th National Conference on marine, small islands, and coastal resources management will be organized in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon on August 3-7, 2010.

Maluku Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office chief Poli Kayhattu said over his cellular phone from Jakarta on Tuesday that at least two international experts on coastal resources management have confirmed to be the keynote speakers at the conference.

"Two small islands and coastal management experts, respectively from China and Maldives have confirmed to be the keynote speakers at the 7th National Conference on marine, small islands, and coastal resources management in Ambon," Kayhattu said.

He said the conference would be conducted as part of the upcoming international marine event of Sail Banda 2010, scheduled to last from July to August this year.

Kayhattu said that besides the international experts from China and Maldives, Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad would also act as speakers in the conference.

The coastal resources management conference is part of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry`s biennial activity, and the one this year in Ambon is themed, "To Knit the Integration of Marine, Small Islands, and Coastal Resources Management for Food Resilience and People`s Welfare."

According to Kayhattu, the objective of the national conference in Ambon was to increase communication and information exchange in relation with marine, small islands, and coastal resources management for people`s welfare and food resilience.

"The conference will be attended by around 500 people who are expected to optimally formulate a new coastal resources management strategy to improve the local people`s welfare," Kayhattu said.

He expressed optimism that the 7th National Congress which had been conducted since 1998 would run well and successfully because various preparations were currently being made for the event.

RI planning to process all seaweeds at home

Antara News, Friday, March 19, 2010 01:05 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia, the world`s biggest producer of the Eucheuma seaweed, plans to process the commodity at home, an official said here on Thursday.

"In the future we must process it more or, if possible, totally at home," the deputy for natural resource development technology of the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT), Prof Dr Jana Anggardiredja said.

Prof Jana who is also the chairman of the Indonesian Seaweed Society said almost all of the Gracilaria sp seaweed production has already been absorbed at home because there has already been a gelatin plant, which is the world`s biggest, in the country.

However Indonesia still imports carrageenin, the raw material produced from the Eucheuma seaweed for use in various food products such as ice cream, sausages, milk, candies and alginate, produced from Sargassum sp, he said.

"We still import carrageenin and alginate," he said.

He said a lot of researches are still needed to raise the target of seaweed processing at home from 20 to 50 kinds.

He said China whose sea does not produce seaweeds has a lot of seaweed processing industries and therefore needs a lot of seaweed as the raw materials from Indonesia.

He said the world`s demand for carrgeenin in 2006 reached 40,000 metric tons a year worth US$335 million, while alginate 12,000 metric tons a year worth US$94 million and gelatine 10,000 metric tons a year worth US$181 million.

In 2014 he hoped absorption of domestically processed carrageenin would increase to 15 percent or around 4,000 tons while exports to reach around 22,000 tons.

He also hoped absorbtion of domestically processed gelatine would be 85 percent or around 4,250 tons and exports around 750 tons.

Besides increasing production he would also seek to improve the quality of Indonesian seaweeds so far still considered low.

The head of the Indonesian Seaweed Association, Safari Husen, said Indonesia has been nominated as host for the 21st International Seaweed Symposium in Bali next month.

"It means Indonesia has been internationally recognized not only as a seaweed producer but also producer of seaweed processing products," he said.

The forum would also study how to develop seaweed industries from upstream to downstream, he said.

Indonesian fishing moratorium a small step to help save Coral Triangle

WWF, 15 March 2010

Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) are cage-fed to improve the quality of their meat. La Paz, Mexico. (Photo: Brian J. Skerry / National Geographic Stock / WWF)

WWF welcomes Indonesian moratorium on new trawl and purse seine fisheries licenses but an immediate reduction in fishing efforts is needed in order to protect the Coral Triangle, the world’s most diverse marine environment.

Trawling and purse seine fisheries have become a problematic issue in Indonesia, strongly contributing to the overfishing of mostly fully exploited juvenile tunas, and illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in the area (IUU).

“This moratorium on new fishing licenses for trawlers and purse seiners will certainly stop the bleeding but not the wound, so to speak. A reduction in current fishing capacity is key to addressing problems of overfishing and bycatch of juvenile tunas in the Coral Triangle” says Dr. Lida Pet-Soede, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Head.

Tuna is an important fishing resource in Coral Triangle as it supports the economies of many developing nations and represents the livelihoods of millions of people in this region and beyond.

The region contains spawning and nursery grounds and migratory routes for commercially-valuable tuna species such as bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack and albacore, producing more than 40% of the total catch for the Western Central Pacific region, and representing more than 20% of the global catch.

As of 2007, more than 10,000 trawlers and 22,000 purse seiners have been found in Indonesian waters.

‘These existing fishing fleets are highly capable of bringing already fully exploited fish stocks to an even greater overfished state’ adds Dr. Pet-Soede.

‘We would also like to seek further clarification on the criteria being used to determine stock recovery and how this is will be evaluated. WWF is willing to participate and contribute to this process.’

Trawling, which can catch as much as 30 tons of fish in a single operation, was banned nationally in 1980 but was once again made legal two years later, specifically in the Arafuru Seas in Papua.

In 2008, a regulation to allow shrimp trawling in the East Kalimantan province was issued.

Today, demersal fish stocks and shrimp are fully exploited and overfished in the Arafuru Seas. Similar results have occurred in the Flores Seas and Makassar Strait in East Kalimantan.

Purse seining has likewise become an issue in Indonesian fisheries. As much as 57% of skipjack, 71% of yellowfin and 75% of bigeye tunas caught by Indonesian purse seiners are juvenile and fully exploited.

Purse seining of small pelagic fish, or free swimming open ocean species like Skipjack tuna and sardines in Indonesia accounts for as much as 80% of the total catch in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This however also includes big pelagic fish, which have been overfished in the Sulawesi Seas and Pacific Ocean. Pelagic fish, both big and small, have now been classified as fully exploited in Indonesia.

Related Article:

Bluefin tuna ban proposal meets rejection

Maluku governor to visit Australia with president

Antara News, Wednesday, February 24, 2010 16:08 WIB

Ambon (ANTARA News) - Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu has been asked to accompany President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the latter`s visit to Australia on March 13, 2010.

"It will be an honor for Maluku and also an opportunity for Governor Ralahalu to promote Maluku`s potentials in the neighboring country," Maluku provincial administration public relations chief Semmy Huwae said here on Wednesday.

Huwae said Ralahalu would during the visit also extend an official invitation to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to attend the international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 in Ambon.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who is due to attend the peak event of the international marine activity on August 3, 2010 would at the same time declare Maluku as a national fishery hub.

With vast areas of coral reefs, Maluku is rich in fish and other sea biota, including decorative fish species, and if managed optimally and effectively, its marine resources could bring high economic returns.

Fish species found in Maluku waters include the Black spotted Puffer, Trumpet fish, Anemones, Juvenile Damselfish, Porcupine fish, Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Scorpion Fish, Lizard fish, Moray Eels, Seahorses and Banded Sea Snakes.

President Yudhoyono and his entourage will visit Australia on March 13, 2010, and on the next day March 14, 2010, the head of state will continue to Papua New Guinea where Governor Ralahalu would also hand an official invitation to the PNG prime minister to attend Sail Banda.

"But the visits to Malaysia, Timor Leste, and other countries will be scheduled by the presidential secretariat after the visit to Australia and Papua New Guinea," Semmy Huwae said.

He said the president and central government strongly supported the success of Sail Banda 2010, and therefore Governor Ralahalu and his deputy also called on all parties to support the success of the international marine event in Maluku later.

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President outlines five strategies to save environment

Antara News, Wednesday, February 24, 2010 16:05 WIB

Nusa Dua (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono outlined five strategies to save the environment when officially opening the 11th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council /Global Ministerial Environment Forum, here on Wednesday.

The first strategy is to change the pattern of production and consumption in order to save the Earth which is seriously damaged, for the sake of the present and future generations.

Other strategies are to lower biodiversity loss by implementing real actions; to promote new orientation of development and economic paradigm which are pro-poor, pro-job, and pro-growth; to finalize agreements for sustainable development; and to finalize negotiations on climate change to ensure the success of the planned Mexico Climate Change Summit , the head of state said.

On the occasion, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner presented a UNEP Award of Leadership to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for promoting and conserving marine ecosystem management.

President Yudhoyono said he accepted the award as a recognition to the work of the whole Indonesian people in managing the marine ecosystem.

He also reaffirmed Indonesia`s commitment to reducing the level of deforestation and land degradation and to lowering the level of carbon emissions.

The world environmental minister meeting taking place under the auspices of UNEP at the Bali International Convention Center from February 24 to 26, is being participated in by around 1,000 delegates from 130 countries.The meeting`s slogan is "One Planet: Our Responsibility.

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SBY Urges Bali Delegates to 'Save This World'

Delegates from around the world have gathered in Nusa Dua for the UNEP conference. (JG Photo/JP Christo)