Ranger Patrols up to Feb ’21 and Entrance Fees Update by Allan Ramandey*a**
Update on Entrance Fee
Dear readers, during the course of February 2021 the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority’s*** rangers – or the Jaga Laut – conducted a total of 73 patrol sessions across seven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). From the mentioned amount, a total of 18 violations were encountered by our rangers.
In general, as laid out in the Marine Park Authority’s management plan, all rangers in seven MPAs have met their minimum service standard of eight patrols this month, and some monitoring posts even exceeded that number.
Although most of the February’s violations were related to fisheries activities, but, according to patrol the data towards the end of 2020 there was an increasing, and worrying, numbers of tourism-related violations: especially on the purchase of entrance fee, or the Environmental Service Maintenance Fee, collected by the Marine Park’s Authority.
Information regarding different entry fees collected in Raja Ampat is explained in another article, you can read it here.
For your information, the Jaga Laut’s regular patrol is one of the main activities directly financed through the Environmental Service Maintenance Fee. So, by purchasing this entrance fee, you are directly contributing in the efforts to sustainably manage Raja Ampat MPAs.
As usual, through this article we will provide you with an update on our Jaga Laut’s activities. Here are some of the highlights for those activities conducted in February, 2021.
Asia and Ayau Islands MPA
Jaga Laut from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA conducted a total of 10 patrols, and two violations were encountered during the patrols on the 09th and 10th of February respectively; both of which were fisheries-related activities.
Violations found this month were found when fishermen caught fishing within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone – one of the non-extractive zones in Raja Ampat’s MPAs. Rangers provided them with information related to MPA’s zoning, then took Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data, before directing them to sail away from the mentioned sub-zone.
Some of the fishermen’s catch recorded by rangers from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA during a patrol on the 09th of February, 2021. All fishing activities are subject to Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data collection, despite violations or not. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Mayalibit Bay MPA
Out of eight patrols conducted by the Jaga Laut from Mayalibit Bay MPA in February, no violations were found in February, and RUM data was collected from all the fisheries-related activities this month.
Jaga Laut’s personnel taking notes for RUM data collection during one of the patrol sessions in February, 2021. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
During patrol days in February, Mayalibit Bay MPA’s rangers managed to organized an environmental education event in collaboration with Conservation International (CI) Indonesia. The event was conducted in Yensner Village, and was attended by 32 participants from the 03rd to the 06th grade of elementary school. The event focused on waste management topic presented in a classroom session, then continued with village clean-up activities.
Environmental education event held on the 18th of February, 2021, in Yensner Village. This community-outreach event is one of the main activities directly financed through the purchase of Environmental Service Maintenance Fee collected by the Raja Ampat Marine Park’s Authority. (Photo by: Conservation International Indonesia/2021).
Dampier Strait MPA
Dampier Strait MPA’s Gam and Yenaduak monitoring posts conducted a combined 19 patrols in February 2021. Rangers from Gam Monitoring Post encountered a total of 4 violations, while Yenaduak’s rangers found 2 violations this month.
Gam Monitoring Post recorded two violations on the 09th of February, 2021, when they found two fishing boats – a type of fishing boat called bagan, which were quickly directed to sail out of the MPA after brief explanation regarding do’s and don’ts in MPA. Another fisheries violation was encountered on the 18th of February, when another bagan was directed to sail away from an area within the MPA called Hall Gam. RUM data was collected from all the bagans.
Jaga Laut from Gam Monitoring Post encountered one tourism-related violation when they found one liveaboard’s guests without Environmental Service Maintenance Fee’s cards. Jaga Laut informed the vessel’s captain to settle this issue with the Marine Park Authority’s Head Office in Waisai.
One of the bagans encountered by rangers from Dampier Strait MPA’s Gam Monitoring Post in the water nearby Saporkren Village. This type of fishing boat is banned and cannot operate within the MPAs in Raja Ampat. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Rangers from Dampier Strait MPA’s Yenaduak Monitoring Post encountered two fisheries violations on the 06th of February, 2021, and another one on the 25th of February, 2021. All violations were conducted by fishermen from Waisai and Sorong respectively, and were found within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone. All fishermen were provided with information regarding the MPA’s zoning system, before directing them to sail away from the mentioned sub-zone. RUM data was collected from all the fishermen.
One other violation was found by the rangers from Yenaduak Monitoring Post on the 16th of February, when one of the liveaboards encountered that day was caught without Environmental Service Maintenance Fee’s cards during a regular inspection. Representative of the vessel was warned and asked to settle this issue with the Head Office in Waisai.
. Regular inspection conducted by Jaga Laut from Dampier Strait MPA’s Yenaduak Monitoring Post to one of the liveaboards found that day. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Misool Islands MPA
From eight patrols conducted by the rangers from Misool Islands MPA, seven violations were caught in February, 2021. They were encountered on the 11th, 16th, and 17th of February respectively.
On the 11th of February, 2021, Jaga Laut caught a total four fishing boats, which one of them was bagan, within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone. Three of the four fishing boats were directed to sail away from the mentioned sub-zone, while bagan was directed to sail away from Misool Islands MPA. RUM data was collected from all the findings that day.
Similar violations were encountered on the 16th of February, 2021, when two fishermen caught fishing within Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone. All fishermen were directed to sail away from the mentioned sub-zone, and RUM data was collected from both.
A type of fishing boat commonly known as “Bagan” was caught in Misool MPA, Jaga Laut quickly directed them to sail out of the MPA. This type of fishing boat is now allowed to operate in Raja Ampat MPAs. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
One other violation was encountered on the 17th of February, 2021, when one liveaboard was caught without Environmental Service Maintenance Fee’s cards. Rangers provide explanation to representatives of the said vessel related to the importance of the entrance fee in Raja Ampat’s sustainable management of natural resources, before coordinating with the Marine Park’s Authority in Waisai to settle this issue.
Jaga Laut from Misool Islands MPA conducting regular inspection to one of the liveaboards encountered that day. Environmental Service Maintenance Fee is one of the main sources of revenue for the Raja Ampat Marine Park’s Authority to sustainably manage the MPAs. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA
A total of eight patrols were conducted by rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA during February 2021 and, thankfully, no violations were found. Violations or not, RUM data was collected from all the MPA’s users.
Rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA were preparing to collect RUM data from one of the fishermen encountered in the patrol session that day. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Fam Islands MPA
Similar to Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA, Jaga Laut from Fam Islands MPA did not find any violations during the 10 patrols conducted in February, 2021 – RUM data was collected from all the activities encountered within the MPA.
Rangers from Fam Islands MPA taking picture in the monitoring post’s jetty before departing for patrol. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve
Rangers from West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve’s Wayag Monitoring Post conducted a total of 10 patrols this month, and did not find any violations. RUM data was taken from all the MPA’s users this month.
One of the Jaga Laut’s personnel was taking notes for RUM data from one of the users encountered that day. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2021).
Photo 10. One of the Jaga Laut’s personnel was taking notes for RUM data from one of the users encountered 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 February 2021.
Those are the February update from Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority’s Jaga Laut. We hope to see you again in April 2021 for the update for our March’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 as usual, stay happy and stay healthy, dear readers. 🙂
* 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.
