Dear readers, with the increase of Covid-19’s intensity in Indonesia, in early July the government has applied national policy to limit activities, which was quickly followed by related regulation in the province level – including West Papua.

However, the intensity of Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s** rangers will not decrease in these difficult times as we are still conducting, regular patrols throughout seven MPAs in the archipelagic regency. (By the way, here’s our patrol update for May, 2021, in case you missed it).

For June, a total of 52 patrols were conducted by the Jaga Laut – the official name for our marine park rangers – from Asia and Ayau Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) to West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserves, with five violations found. Here are some of the highlights.

Asia and Ayau Islands Marine Protected Area

Rangers from Asia and Ayau Islands patrolled the MPAs eight times this month, with a total of three violations noted on the 09^th and 15^th – one on the ninth, and two on the fifteenth respectively.

Jaga Laut caught a local fishermen with a blacktip reef shark during a patrol on the 09^th of June. The fishermen claimed that it was a by catch, and was confirmed by the rangers since they did not find any fishing gear to catch a specific species of fish. The fishermen was reprimanded, and told that all sharks and rays are fully protected in Raja Ampat under the Regency’s Regulation 9 of the Year 2012.

A blacktip reef shark caught by a local fishermen within Asia and Ayau Islands MPA. Even though it was claimed as by catch, rangers reprimanded and inform him related to the full protection of sharks and rays in Raja Ampat. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

On the 15^th of June, Jaga Laut caught two fishing boats using banned fishing gear – a type of fishnet – in an area called Urbabo which was included within the Traditional Utilization and Sasi Sub-zone. Our rangers quickly stopped their activities, explained the do’s and don’ts’s within the MPA, and directed them to appear before the customary council in the nearby village.

Two fishing boats were caught using non-environmental friendly fishing gears. Subsequent to stopping their activities, rangers instructed them to appear before the customary council in the nearby village. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Mayalibit Bay MPA

Mayalibit Bay MPA’s rangers patrolled five times, and found one violation on the 22^nd of June, 2021, when a fishermen caught carrying blacktip’s shark fins. Rangers quickly stopped the mentioned fishermen, confiscated the fins, and provided him with information related to the full protection of sharks and rays in all Raja Ampat.

Four shark fins were confiscated by Jaga Laut from Mayalibit Bay MPA during a patrol on the 22nd of June, 2021. All sharks and rays gains full protection in Raja Ampat under the Regency Regulation No. 9 of the Year 2021. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Dampier Strait MPA

Two posts, Gam and Yenaduak monitoring posts, in the Dampier Strait MPA conducted a total of sixteen patrols during the course of June, 2021, and did not find any violations. Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data were taken from all the MPA’s beneficiary this month.

One of the fishing boats encountered during a patrol by the Yenaduak’s Jaga Laut that day. This type of fishing boat, with capacity under 2 gross tonnage, was given special permit by the Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority during this pandemic. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021

Misool Islands MPA

Up until now, we haven’t received complete patrol reports from Misool Islands MPA’s Jaga Laut for June, 2021. This was mostly due to the limitation in telecommunication infrastructure in and around the MPA. We will provide an update from Misool Islands MPA in our next article.

Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA

In June, rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA conducted eight patrols in total, and found violation on the 25^th of June, 2021, when one fishing boat was caught without the proper permits. This type of violation was considered as Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

Jaga Laut from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA encountered a total of 10 fishing boats during the patrol that day. This particular fishing boat was caught without proper permit, and directed to sail away from the MPA and not to come back until it has all the requierments. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

Rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA quickly stopped its activities, provide explanation regarding all the requirements to fish within the MPA, and directed it to sail away from Raja Ampat MPAs. Jaga Laut also took RUM data from all the fishing boats encountered that day.

Fam Islands MPA

Eight patrols were conducted within Fam Islands MPA by the Jaga Laut in June, 2021, and no violations were found. Even though there are no violations this month, rangers keeps communicating the zoning system and took RUM data to all the MPA’s beneficiaries.

Fam Islands MPA’s Jaga Laut conducting RUM data recording – one personnel for interview and documentation, and one other for taking notes. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja

West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve

A total of seven patrols were conducted by Jaga Laut from Wayag Monitoring Post in West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserves. Despite no violations found this month, RUM data were collected from all the beneficiaries encountered by the Wayag’s rangers.

One fishing boat from Sorong was encountered by the rangers from Wayag Monitoring Post during a patrol on the 24th of June, 2021. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).

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

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

This is the update for June, 2021, from Raja Ampat Marine Park. Stay tuned for our next update in August for more patrols from July, 2021.

We hope this update would be useful for you. On behalf of all the staff in Raja Ampat Marine Park’s Authority: may we all stay happy and healthy!

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

*  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.