The cooperation involves member countries of the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) to Promote Responsible Fishing Practices, including Combating IUU Fishing in the Region.
Located in the Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan, bordering southern Philippines and East Malaysia, Maratua is an island that captivates with its expanse of blue sea.
A study entitled "Riverine plastic emissions from Jakarta into the ocean" in 2018 showed that the Ciliwung River was on the list of the most polluted rivers in the world. Luckily, some communities have been choosing to act.
TheIndonesia.id - Indonesia affirms its focus on the conservation of whale sharks after the issuance of a ministerial decree calls for local governments to adopt and implement the regulation.
Decree No. 16/2021 signed by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries on National Action Plan (RAN) on Whale Shark Conservation regulates the necessary measures related to the plan, for the 2021-2025 period.
Acting Director-General of Marine Spatial Management (PRL) at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Pamuji Lestari said to ensure the plan works properly and the targets are achieved, all stakeholders, particularly local governments of the six prioritized locations, must be committed to implement the necessary measures.
“This RAN must be adopted at the local level in form of Regional Action Plan, or RAD, [on] Whale Shark Conservation, which also must have its legal instruments so that commitment and budget allocation can be directed towards the conservation of whale shark,” Lestari said in a statement on Sunday.
The six priority locations for the RAN implementation are Gorontalo, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Papua, West Papua, and East Kalimantan.
In coordination meetings with local governments and related stakeholders, KKP has discussed the execution and follow-up actions for 2022.
Furthermore, the Director of Marine Conservation and Biodiversity at the Ministry Andi Rusandi revealed that the meetings resulted in several recommendations. First, local governments must establish working groups to formulate the RAD, in collaboration with provincial and municipal offices as well as other concerning stakeholders. Next, RAN on Whale Shark Conservation is to become the guideline and reference for RAD. The third recommendation is that unexecuted actions in RAN must be completed at a scheduled time. Lastly, central and local governments, along with remaining stakeholders, must remain committed to collaborating to implement this RAN.
Muslim, head of marine and fisheries office at the NTB Provincial Government, said the province has established a working group and started the formulation of necessary RAD.
“The RAD document is created to be the reference and guideline for a systemic, effective, calculated, and integrated management of whale shark and its habitat in NTB,” Muslim said.
