Dear readers, here we are in early 2021 and we will provide updates from the last month of 2020 regarding the community-based patrol conducted by the Marine Park Rangers – Jaga Laut –  in all seven MPAs in Raja Ampat.

A total of 60 patrols were conducted during the course of December 2020, which means that most of the patrol units in seven MPAs under the Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority*** were succeeded to meet the minimum quota of 8 patrols per month.

Here are the highlights from of Jaga Laut’s patrol activities from December 2020, which was a busy month for some of our rangers on duty.

Asia and Ayau Islands MPA

Jaga Laut personnel from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA conducted a total of five patrols in December 2020, and did not find any violations during this period. However, Resources Use Monitoring (RUM) data were collected from each and every boat’s activities were recorded, which is mostly fisheries’ in this MPA.

Jaga Laut’s personnel from Asia and Ayau Islands MPA seen interviewing one of the fishermen encountered on the 10th of December, 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Mayalibit Bay MPA

Mayalibit Bay MPA’s Jaga Laut conducted a total of 8 patrols during the period of December 2020. Out of those eight patrols, two violations were encountered on the 02^nd and 04^th of December respectively.

The first violation was when a fishermen was caught with black tip reef sharks – one of the marine biotas protected in Raja Ampat. Jaga Laut gave the local fishermen a stern warning, provided information regarding the related-regulation, and also told him that if he insist doing it then he will be reported the police.

The incident on the 02^nd of December 2020 has been reported to the Marine Park Authority’s office in Waisai, and from there was relayed to the Adat (customary) entity as well: The Raja Ampat’s Maya Tribe Adat Council. Representatives from Adat entity will also approach the local fishermen regarding his action.

One of the fishing boats found by the Mayalibit patrol on the 17th of November, 2020. That day, Jaga Laut encountered five fishing boats within the Traditional Utilization and Sasi Sub-zone. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

As for the violation on December 04^th, Jaga Laut’s personnel caught another local fishermen fishing with air compressor. Jaga Laut then provided him with information regarding the do’s and don’ts in Mayalibit Bay MPA, and also informed him related to the health hazard and even fatality that may occur from such activity, and persuaded him to stop the activity.

One of the fishing boats found by the Mayalibit during a patrol on the 04th of November, 2020. This local fishermen was caught using air compressor by the Jaga Laut, and was directed to cease the activity. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Dampier Strait MPA

From a total of 14 patrols conducted in Dampier Strait MPA, 5 came from Gam Monitoring Post, while 9 came from Yenadwak Monitoring Post. Gam’s Monitoring Post noted two violations in December 2020, while three violations were recorded by personnel from Yenadwak.

The first violation encountered by the Gam Monitoring Post’s Jaga Laut on the 12^th of December 2020 was when 10 guests from a liveaboard operating in Raja Ampat was caught without Environmental Maintenance Service Fee’s cards during a regular check-up. Rangers then directed the liveaboard’s representative to, at one point during their trip, go to Waisai and settle this issue.

Another violation was encountered by the personnel from Gam on the 16^th of December, 2020, when a bagan was caught operating within Traditional Utilization and Sasi Sub-zone; it was the same vessel from nearby village caught in November 2020. The Jaga Laut gave them another stern telling and directed them to sail away from the MPA.

Bagan encountered by Yenadwak Monitoring Post’s rangers on the 16th of December 2020. It was the same bagan encountered by the rangers on the 14th of November, 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Moving on to the Yenadwak Monitoring Post. On the 11^th of December, 2020, the Jaga Laut encountered a fishing boat from Sorong within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone. Rangers provided him with information related to the regulations applicable within the MPA, before finally directing him to sail away from the MPA.

On December 12^th, Jaga Laut from Yenadwak encountered two violations. One violation was conducted by fishing boat using air compressor, which was successfully persuaded to cease its activity subsequent to being informed by one of the rangers regarding rules and regulations within the MPA.

The other violation found that day was shark fishing. Rangers provided them with regulations applied within the MPA, one of which was the protection of all kinds of sharks. The rangers then gave them a firm warning that they will report them to the police if they insist to catch sharks.

Evidence of shark fishing caught during a patrol by rangers from Dampier Strait MPA – one of the ‘busier’ MPAs in Raja Ampat. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Misool Islands MPA

Rangers from Misool Islands MPA encountered violations on three out of seven days of patrol during December, 2020. On the 22^nd of December, 2020, they caught a local fishermen fishing in Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone using fishing line made of copper wire. Rangers then provided him with information regarding rules and regulation applied in MPA, before directing him to sail away from the mentioned sub-zone.

On the 28^th and 29^th of December, 2020, Jaga Laut from Misool Islands encountered a total of nine fishing boats within the Tourism and Food Security Sub-zone. Rangers provided them information related to do’s and don’ts within an MPA, before directing them to sail away from the area.

One out of nine fishing boats caught by Misool Islands’ Jaga Laut during patrols on the 28th and 29th of December, 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Kofiau–Boo Islands MPA

Rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA conducted a total of eight patrols in December, 2020, and did not find any violations. Information related to rules and regulations applied within an MPA was provided to all the boats encountered, and RUM data was also collected from them.

One of the fishing boats encountered by rangers from Kofiau-Boo Islands MPA on December, 2020. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

Fam Islands MPA

A total of eight patrols were conducted by rangers from Fam Islands MPA in December, 2020. No violations were found during this time of year; RUM data was collected.

One of the rangers, Elias Koten, took a selfie during a patrol in December. No violations found this month. (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

West Waigeo Islands Marine Reserve

Jaga Laut’s personnel from Wayag Monitoring Post found two violations from a total of 10 patrol days in December, 2020. Those violations were encountered on December 14^th and 15^th when visitors caught without Environmental Service Maintenance Fee’s cards. Rangers then provided the tour operators with information related to management of MPAs in Raja Ampat, before directing them to settle this issue in Waisai.

Speedboat caught carrying visitors without Environmental Service Maintenance Fee. Dealing with tour operators is a different challenge for our rangers in Raja Ampat (Photo by: BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat/2020).

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

Those are the updates from Raja Ampat’s Marine Park Authority regarding our community-based rangers for December, 2020. We will be back with the update from January 2021’s activities.

We sincerely hope this update would be useful for you, our Readers. Thank you very much for your time, attention, and kind support. And lastly, hope you all had a happy and healthy new year’s celebration, and may this year will be way better for all of us. 🙂

*           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.