Patrol Updates from Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority

January, 2021

Updated by: Allan Fredrik Ramandey*

Dear readers, through this article we will provide you with an update related to patrol activities conducted by the Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority*** during the course of January, 2021.

 From our observation, especially from the last three months towards the end of 2020, there has been some increase in tourism activity comparing to the previous months during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is expected to increase in the coming months.

Here are some of the highlights on the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s regular patrols, or the Jaga Laut, especially related to the violations found in January, 2021.

Asia and Ayau Islands MPA

Rangers from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA, or also known as Area I, conducted five patrols in January, 2021, and did not find any violations. However, all of the activities found were recorded in Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data; all of which were fisheries-related activity conducted by the locals.

Jaga Laut from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA captured, and supervised, the “Payasyas” (literally can be translated as “catching fish together”) tradition on the 12th of January, 2021. No violations were found in Asia and Ayau Islands MPA that month. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Mayalibit Bay MPA

Mayalibit Bay MPA’s Jaga Laut conducted a total of eight patrols in January, 2021. From those eight patrols, rangers found one violation in 26^th of January, 2021, when a local fishermen caught using wire while fishing; one of the tools banned within MPAs in Raja Ampat.

The mentioned activity was immediately stopped by the rangers, followed by briefing regarding the do’s and don’t’s in MPA. RUM data was taken from him, and other fishermen too regardless violation or not.

Jaga Laut from Mayalibit Bay MPA caught one fishermen from Waisai using wire as fishing line on the 26th of January, 2021. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Besides fisheries-related activities, rangers also found one liveaboard on the 26^th of January, 2021. All passengers and crews were checked for Raja Ampat MPAs Environmental Service Fee’s card, and no violations were found.

Liveaboard encountered on the 26th of January, 2021, by the Jaga Laut from Mayalibit Bay MPA. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Dampier Strait MPA

A total of 14 patrols were conducted within Dampier Strait MPA, five of which came from Gam Monitoring Post, while nine others were conducted by the Yenadwak Monitoring Post. From those patrols, Gam’s Jaga Laut did not find any violations, while two violations were found by the Yenadwak’s rangers.

On the 23^rd of January, 2021, Jaga Laut from Gam Monitoring Post installed a warning signage. The installation was triggered by several reports regarding crocodile sightings around Piaynemo and Putus Cape dated back towards the end of December, 2020. So be advised, and beware!

Signage installed by the Jaga Laut personnel from Dampier Strait MPA on the 23rd of January, 2021. Crocodile sighting was first reported in Piaynemo back in December, 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Violations found by the Jaga Laut from Yenadwak Monitoring Post were both found during a patrol on the 20^th January, when two fishermen were caught fishing within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone: a non-extractive area. After briefed them about MPA zoning and regulations, both of the fishermen were directed to sail out of the mentioned sub-zone by the rangers.

One of the violations encountered during a patrol on the 20th of January, 2021. Rangers from Dampier Strait MPA directed them to sail away from the prohibited zone. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Misool Islands MPA

In January 2021, Jaga Laut from Misool Islands MPA conducted a total of nine patrols, and caught three violations on the 20^th, 27^th, and 28^th of January 2021. Violation found on the 20^th of January, 2021, was found during a joint patrol with personnel from the Indonesian Army when a Bagan was directed to sail out of the MPA, subsequent to a briefing given by both Jaga Laut and Indonesian Army’s personnel.

Fisheries-related violation found on the 20th of January, 2021 during a joint patrol in Misool Islands MPA. This type of fishing boat, commonly known as “Bagan” in Indonesia, is not allowed to operate within Raja Ampat MPAs. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021

Violations found on the 27^th and 28^th of January, 2021, were related to tourism activities. Two vessels, both crews and passengers, were caught without Raja Ampat MPAs Environmental Service Fee’s card. Jaga Laut from Misool Islands MPA provided them with the related information, before forwarding the communication with Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s office in Waisai to further coordinate with agents for both vessels in order to settle this issue.

A vessel was caught without Raja Ampat MPAs Environmental Service Fee’s cards by Jaga Laut from Misool Islands MPA. Agent from this particular vessel was directed to settle this issue with the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s office in Waisai. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA

A total of eight patrols were conducted by rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA during the course of January 2021, and no violations were found. RUM data was collected from all the MPA’s users this month.

One of the fishing boats encountered by rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA on January, 2021. Interview was conducted for RUM data collection. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Fam Islands MPA

No violations were encountered during the nine patrols conducted by Jaga Laut from Fam Islands MPA in January, 2021.

Rangers from Fam Islands MPA before departing for regular patrol. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve

A total of five violations were encountered by Jaga Laut from West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve, all violations were tourism-related and at the same location: around the location of Wayag Monitoring Post. Those violations were found respectively on the 10^th, 13^th, 14^th, and 26^th of January, 2021, when tourists caught without Raja Ampat MPAs Environmental Service Fee’s cards.

Jaga Laut from West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve provided information regarding the significance of Environmental Service Fee for the sustainable management of MPAs in Raja Ampat before directing them, and/or their representatives, to settle this issue with the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s office in Waisai.

liveaboard caught without Raja Ampat MPAs Environmental Service Fee’s cards for both crews and passengers. While crews and passengers from another liveaboard, My Dragonfly, were found with the mentioned entrance fee during the same day. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Table 1. Table of Patrol Count from Seven MPAs in Raja Ampat from May 2020 to January 2021.

Those are the news from Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority on our Jaga Laut for January, 2021. See you again, dear readers, in March for update regarding our February’s patrol activities.

 We sincerely hope this update would be useful for you. Thank you very much for your time, attention, and kind support. And lastly, stay happy and stay healthy. 🙂

*           Data and Information Staff for Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority

***        The official name for Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority is Badan Layanan Umum Daerah Unit Pelaksana Teknis Daerah (BLUD UPTD) Pengelolaan Kawasan Konservasi Perairan (KKP) Kepulauan Raja Ampat.