With application on the limitation of activities due to the increase of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, which was extended until 16^th of August 2021 – for now, the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority** committed to preserve our intensity in patrolling the MPA’s network; especially when prospect of violations, more or less, are similar.

Throughout July 2021, our marine park’s rangers – officially named ‘Jaga Laut’ – conducted a total of 52 patrols across the seven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within our management, with a total of five violations encountered during this month.

And as promised, we will also provide updates for both June and July from Misool Islands MPA.

Here are the patrol highlights.

Asia and Ayau Islands Marine Protected Area

Jaga Laut from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA contributed a total of eight patrols in July, 2021. From those eight patrols, our marine park’s rangers did not find any violations. However, Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data were recorded from all the area’s beneficiaries encountered – whether it’s a violation or not.

A fishermen’s catch that day. Violation or not, it is part of the information typically recorded for Resources Use Monitoring. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Mayalibit Bay MPA

Throughout this month, Jaga Laut from Mayalibit Bay MPA patrolled the area five times. No violations were encountered this month, and RUM data was recorded from all the activities found.

One fisherwoman, along with two other fishermen, were encountered on the outskirts of Mayalibit Bay MPA. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021)

Dampier Strait MPA

Dampier Strait MPA was patrolled a total of 11 times by our two monitoring posts: Gam and Yenaduak. Respectively, rangers from Gam Monitoring Post encountered one violation on the 10^th of July, while Yenaduak’s rangers found another one on the 16^th of July.

On the 10^th of July, fifteen guests from one of the homestays in Arborek Village were caught without entrance fee cards. Rangers sat down with the guests and explained to them the importance of entrance fee for the sustainability of MPAs’ management in Raja Ampat, then directed them to settle this issue with our head office in Waisai.

While on the 16^th of July, 2021, a fishing boat was caught within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone.  Later that day, it was discovered that they’d also been using a homestay – which is currently not operating due to the pandemic – on Dayan Island without permission. Our rangers quickly followed them to the mentioned homestay, provided them with information regarding the zoning system, before asking them to sail away from both the homestay and the mentioned sub-zone.

Fishermen caught during the patrol have been using, without permission from the owner, a homestay in Dayan Island, to store and dry their catch for the salted fish market. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Misool Islands MPA

In June, rangers from Misool Islands MPA conducted a total of seven patrols, and encountered twenty fishing boats violating the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone – area surrounding the Batbitim Island to be precise – on the 22^nd of June, 2021. Rangers were quick to directed the fishing boats to sail away from the mentioned area, one by one. They claimed to have had a permit to fish within the sub-zone from one of the village’s representative.

One, out of twenty that day, fishing boat caught in violation during a patrol on the 22nd of June, 2020. One of the rangers was photographed conducting interview for RUM data collection. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

In response to these incidents, Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority is planning to conduct a meeting in August, one that will involve several villages’ representatives, in order to reaffirm the consensus regarding MPA management, and to prevent similar incident from happening again in the future.

One other violation found on that same day was one liveaboard hosting nineteen guests without entrance fee’s cards. Rangers came aboard, provided explanation regarding the said obligation, and then asked them to settle this issue with our head office in Waisai.

Fast forward to July. Misool Islands MPA was patrolled eight times this month, and encountered three violations in total. One violation was when a yacht with four passengers was caught without entrance fee’s cards on the 05^th of July. Rangers then took photographs of their ID, and directed them to settle this issue with our head office in Waisai.

Another two violations, which were zoning-related violations, occurred when a specific type of fishing boats – typically called bagan in Bahasa Indonesia. The bagans, which are not allowed to operate within the MPA, were caught on the 13^th and 26^th of July. Explanation related to the zoning system and do’s and don’ts of the MPA were provided by our Jaga Laut, before directing them to sail away from Misool Islands’ protected area.

One bagan was encountered in Misool Islands MPA during a patrol on the 26th of July, 2021. This type of fishing boat is not allowed to operate within any MPA in Raja Ampat. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA

Jaga Laut patrolled the Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA eight times in July, and did not find any violations. RUM data were taken from all the MPA’s beneficiaries.

Fisherwomen enjoying their afternoon while fishing – RUM data was collected from them. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Fam Islands MPA

A total of five patrols were conducted by rangers from Fam Islands MPA throughout July, and no violations were found. RUM data were collected from all fishermen and fisherwoman encountered.

One of the rangers from Fam Islands MPA photographed while taking notes for Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve

West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve was patrolled seven times in July, and no violations were encountered this month. RUM data was recorded from all the MPA’s beneficiaries, while charismatic species – one of our Jaga Laut’s other responsibilities – encountered this month were also recorded.

For your information, West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve is formally under the direct authority of the central government’s Ministry of Marine and Fisheries, while Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority provided technical assistances, such as patrol activity and all the related aspects, for this particular MPA.

The Marine Park Authority itself was nested under the West Papua Province Government’s Marine and Fisheries Agency, and has authority towards the other six MPAs in Raja Ampat (For more information on Raja Ampat’s MPAs Network, kindly visit www.kkprajaampat.com for Bahasa Indonesia, or www.rajaampatmarinepark.com).

Turtles mating was encountered during a patrol in West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve – a total of two couples were sighted that day. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

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

So, dear Readers, those are our updates for July, 2021, from seven MPAs patrolled by Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority. We hope to see you again for the update of August.

As usual, we sincerely hope that this article would be beneficial for you. On behalf of all the staff in Raja Ampat Marine Park’s Authority, we wish you all happiness and fine health!

Thank you very much for your time, attention, and kind support – as always.

*           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.