MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) are the heart and soul of the Bird’s Head Seascape.  There are now 26, including 3 new ones, TCBFM (Traditional Community Based Fisheries Management) Bintuni, KKPD (Marine Protected Area) Sorong Selatan, and KKPD Maksegara (Makbon).

The global epicentre of marine biodiversity, the BHS comprises more than 225,000 square kilometers (22.5 million hectares or roughly 87, 000 square miles) in West Papua, Indonesia, including Cenderawasih Bay in the east, the Raja Ampat archipelago in the west, and the Kaimana Regency and Triton Bay in the south. Established as a multi-partner conservation initiative in 2004, the Bird’s Head Seascape initiative’s aim is to secure the long-term effective management of the rich marine resources of the BHS in a manner that ensures food security and sustainable economic benefits for its citizens while also preserving its globally significant biodiversity. The centerpiece of the initiative is a network of 26 MPAs, protecting 5,229,782 hectares (20,192 square miles), spread across the seascape that can only be described as “scuba diving heaven”.

These MPAs employ local people to survey and protect coasts (via ranger patrols), reefs and fish, empowering communities to protect and sustainably manage their resources and their livelihoods. Since the initiative’s inception, fish populations have rebounded; sharks, whales and rays have returned and have achieved protected status both regionally and nationally; poaching by outside fishers is down 90%; coral is recovering; and ecotourism has flourished.

When the BHS MPA network was created in 2004, there were 12 MPAs.  As the local population realized the benefits of their areas being protected and properly managed, more and more communities have applied for MPA status.  As the number of MPAs grows the entire region benefits.

More information about the region’s MPAs can be found throughout this website.  Most MPA maps can be found in our MAPS section. Governmental decrees for the establishment of each MPA can be found in the Resources (Library).  Ranger reports are updated monthly and can be found in the News-Topics>Regional section.

The following is a complete (to date) list of the BHS MPAs including the Kabupaten (District) where each is located. Note all MPA’s are in Indonesia’s  West Papua Provence.