12 January 2017, Raja Ampat, Indonesia – Misool Eco Resort, a world-class resort and conservation centre in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, announced today a new sustainable funding model for its marine conservation foundation, Misool Baseftin. Starting 1st January 2017, the resort will donate US $50 to Foundation Misool Baseftin on behalf of each guest visiting the resort. Guests will be invited to match this donation during their stay. Misool Eco Resort’s pledge is expected to generate upwards of US$ 25,000 per annum and the Guest Match Initiative will generate a predicted additional US$ 25,000 annually.Misool and its sister foundation have worked tirelessly for more than a decade to protect the delicate reef systems of South Raja Ampat and the precious marine life that inhabits them. Together with the local community, Misool has established a 1220 sq km Marine Protected Area (MPA), built a 15-person marine ranger patrol unit, developed a leading Manta ray research program, and launched a community recycling program (called Bank Sampah in Indonesian).

The Ranger Patrol’s unfaltering vigilance over the MPA is key to the long-horizon success of the project, whose mission is to protect the world’s richest reefs. The recent interception of a shark finning boat within the No-Take-Zone is a stark reminder that the threats are unrelenting and have the potential to undo a decade’s worth of conservation wins in the blink of an eye. The Misool Ranger Patrol is just one of the programs that will benefit from this initiative.

 “Our goal is to create a sustainable funding model and ensure Raja Ampat’s spectacular reefs are protected for generations to come,” said Marit Miners, Co-Founder, Misool Eco Resort.  “Misool was founded on the principal that the reefs are our organisations’s most valuable asset.  This initiative is an investment in the long-term health of the reefs and therefore long-term health of our business.”

Miners continues, “Inviting our guests to match the donation that our business has made on their behalf is a powerful way to engage our guests and give them the opportunity to protect what they love.”

“This is a bold move from Misool and one that we hope other industry leaders will emulate,” said Marcel Bigue, Director of Marine Programs at WildAid. “WildAid has partnered with Misool Baseftin for a decade, and we continue to be inspired by their commitment to this extraordinary pocket of the underwater world.  Misool Eco Resort’s Guest Match Initiative speaks loudly to those who want to be a part of nature’s future.”

“Time is running out. It is critical that private enterprises step up now and do their part in conservation,” Marit Miners concluded. “Globally, coral reefs are in crisis. If tour operators understand that nature is their primary asset and take responsibility for protecting their own backyard, the compounded large-scale effects could be monumental.”

For more information contact:
Name: Jo Marlow, Marketing & Communications
Website: www.misoolecoresort.com
Email: jo@misoolecoresort.com
Phone & WhatsApp: +6281 266 598 338Illegal Shark Fishers in Misool – October 30^th 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whcc7tJ48nY

About Misool Eco Resort
Misool Eco Resort is a world-class Resort and Conservation Centre located in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, in the heart of marine biodiversity. Since opening in 2006, the work of Misool has become synonymous with marine conservation and sustainable tourism.  Built on the site of a former shark-finning camp, the resort creates transformative experiences in pristine nature.

Misool Eco Resort’s key achievements and awards:

About Misool Baseftin
Misool Baseftin is a registered Indonesian charity and non-profit foundation. Its mission is to safeguard the future of the most biodiverse marine environments on earth by empowering local communities to reclaim their traditional tenureship of reefs.The foundation maintains a broad approach to conservation, combining environmental, social, and educational elements. In the local tribal language, Misool Baseftin means ‘Misool: We own it together’.

Misool Baseftin’s key achievements:

Recycling two tons of rubbish per day with the Community Recycling Project (Bank Sampah)