Hello everyone, we’re back with more updates. It’s time for another whole month of September, when The Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority*** conducted a total of 49 patrols.

In this month’s update, similar to August, we would like to highlight some of the findings that the Jaga Laut – the official name for Raja Ampat Marine Park’s rangers – managed to cover in September.

Here are those updates from seven MPAs where the Marine Park Authority worked.

1. Asia and Ayau Islands MPA
Jaga Laut from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA found one violations from a total of eight patrols in September. It is worth noted here that the rangers are obliged to collect Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data, which mostly derived from tourism or fisheries utilization activities, in every findings they encountered regardless whether it is a violation or not.

The mentioned violation occurred during a patrol on the 23rd of September, 2020, when the rangers found one local fishermen who fished within the Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone – a no take zone. After providing information regarding the MPA including its regulation and zoning system, the fishermen was escorted by the Jaga Laut out of the Sub-zone.

The single violation encountered by the rangers from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA. The fishermen was caught fishing within the Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

2. Mayalibit Bay MPA
It was a quite ‘busy’ month for personnel of Jaga Laut from Area II – Mayalibit Bay MPA, as they encountered a total of six violations in September. Information regarding MPA and its regulation and zoning system were provided for the violators, and all fishermen were successfully asked to leave the prohibited zones.

One fishermen from Yensner Village was caught fishing in the Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone on the 05th of September 2020. The next violation was encountered on the 07th of September when rangers found one local fishermen within the Core Zone. During a patrol on the 11th of September, three local fishermen was caught fishing in the Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone, while the last one was encountered on the 16th of September within the same Sub-zone as well.

One of the six violations encountered in Mayalibit Bay MPA. The local fishermen was encountered fishing within the Core Zone on the 07th of September 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

3. Dampier Strait MPA
Each of the two monitoring posts in Dampier Strait MPA, Gam and Yenadwak, conducted five patrols in September. From a total of 10 patrols, Yenadwak monitoring post encountered three zoning violations. One violation was encountered on the 15th of September when rangers caught a fishermen from Yenyar Village within the Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone.

Another violation was encountered in the 18th of September, when Jaga Laut encountered one fishermen from Sorong within the Sasi and Traditional Utilization Sub-zone. While the third violation was found during a patrol on the 21st of September when one local fishermen fishing within the Sasi and Traditional Utilization Sub-zone.

While Gam monitoring post did not find any violations, the rangers there encountered with one of the liveaboards in Raja Ampat, Kurabesi Explorer, nearby Arborek Village. The vessel was on their way to deliver donations such as various personal protective equipment, farming equipment, and rooftops for homestays.

One of the three violations found in September, fishermen caught in Dampier Strait MPA’s Food Security and Tourism Sub-zone. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

4. Misool Islands MPA
Jaga Laut from Area IV patrolled the water of Misool Islands MPA for a total of four times, and fortunately there are no violations were found during this period. No other incidents were noted for September.

One of the fishermen encountered by the Jaga Laut on the 09th of September 2020. He was fishing within the allowed zone – no violations and RUM data was collected. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

5. Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA
Rangers from Area V, Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA conducted a total of 10 patrol in September. Out of those 10 days of patrol, 6 violations were encountered by the Jaga Laut.

All the six violations were conducted by local fishermen encountered within the Food and Security Sub-zone on the, chronologically 03rd, 08th, 11th (2 violations) and 15th (2 violations) of September. All fishermen were successfully persuaded to sail away out of the mentioned Sub-zone, and RUM data was also collected from each fishermen.

General information gathered by the Jaga Laut during RUM data collection for the month of September, most fishermen informed that their catch was better this month comparing to the previous months this year, so that they can sell the surplus to fish buyer in Waisai.

One of the rangers was about to start the interview for RUM data collection. No violations were found during the patrol on the 16th of September 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

6. Fam Islands MPA
Rangers from Fam Islands MPA, or Area VI, conducted a total of six patrol in September. Fortunately, no violations were encountered during patrols this time.

Based on observation and information gathered by the rangers, most of the villagers – especially those who used to work in tourism before Covid-19 outbreak – in Fam Islands were back to fishing now that tourism was suspended.

One of the rangers was about to start the interview for RUM data collection. No violations were found during the patrol on the 16th of September 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

7. West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve
This month, Jaga Laut from West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve conducted a total of six patrols, and encountered one violation on the 18th of September. The fishermen encountered was from outside of Raja Ampat, and was caught fishing within the Core Zone.

The owner of the three-engine vessel confessed that he obtained some sort of verbal permission from one members of the community in Selpele Village, but the rangers did not accept his excuse. After a stern telling, information related to MPA and its regulation and zoning system was provided, before Jaga Laut finally escorted the mentioned fishermen out of the MPA.

Rangers from West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve providing information regarding MPA and its zoning rules to a fishermen caught fishing within the Core Zone, the fishermen and his vessel was escorted out of the MPA after. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

For your information, the Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority have been working with several key stakeholders – including the adat communities – to firmly utilize the adat (both customary law and entity), at least in the village level, to deal with MPA’s violations; especially for perpetrators from beyond Raja Ampat.

Several cases from other MPAs in Raja Ampat that occurred in the past, in the context of such violations, have shown the efficient nature from this type of ‘enforcement’ while, in parallel, legal process was also implemented by the law enforcers; especially for violations that can be categorized as felony according to law.

Table 1. Table of Patrol Count from Seven MPAs in Raja Ampat from May to September, 2020.

Those are the patrol update conducted by the Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority for September. We will provide you with another update, October, at the beginning of November.

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

Allan Fredrik Ramandey*- Data and Information Staff for Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority
Nikka Gunadharma** – Raja Ampat Communication and Outreach Coordinator for Conservation International Indonesia
*** 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.