Press Release Bintan Marine Protected Area
Decree of the MMAF of Republic Indonesia No. 18 year 2022
ecology foundation/05-18-2022
Hello Ecology Friends!
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Riau Islands Provincial Government welcomes upon Publication Decree of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Republic Indonesia No. 18 year 2022 regarding Marine Protected Area in Eastern Waters of Bintan Island, Riau Islands Province. The decree was officially signed on March 18th 2022 and recorded in the State Gazette on 5 April 2022.
Total of the Conservation Area is 138,661, 42 ha, consist three areas: Teluk Sebong (4,500 thousand ha), Gunung Kijang (23,300 ha), and Bintan Pesisir (110,700 ha). This Marine Protected Area that recently approved is directly adjacent to Singapore, a fast growing tourism area, and located on a crowded maritime trading traffic, and also overlooks to South China Sea which has substantial potential of fisheries and marine biodiversity.
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The Director General of Marine Spatial Management (Dirjen PRL) Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Victor Gustaaf Manoppo through a press release published on April 25th 2022 said that the establishment of a Marine Protected Area in Eastern Waters of Bintan Island, aims to protect, to conserve, and to utilize marine biodiversity including the ecosystems, the coral reefs, the seagrass beds, and the fish breeding habitats.
Bintan Marine Protected Area
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Determination of Bintan Marine Protected Area is to support fish catches in the State Fisheries Management Area of Republic Indonesia (WPPNRI) 711, which is included in the fishing zone for industry where the number of catches is limited based on a fishing quota. The fundamental of a conservation area is the Spill Over effect, where in the protected area, fish stocks will grow well and the overflow from this growth will spread over outside the protected area, which then can be utilized sustainably without reducing the source of growth in the protected area,” said Victor in Jakarta.
Governor of Riau Islands Province H. Ansar Ahmad said that the determination of the Marine Protected Area is important as a part of efforts to achieve the visions of realizing a prosperous, competitive and cultured Riau Archipelago. The existence of this Marine Protected Area is expected to preserve existing marine and fishery resources, which contribute to the welfare surroundings community. This is important to support the achievement of Kepri Province's mission, to accelerate maritime-based economic growth, environmentally friendly, and have regional advantages to increase people's prosperity," said the Governor.
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In line with the Head of Department of Marine and Fisheries of the Riau Islands Province, Dr. H. T.S Arif Fadillah hopes that the parties who will participate in the supervision of Bintan Marine Protected Area have knowledge about the potential and threats both inside and outside the area as well as the goals and strategies that will be implemented by the management organization unit later.
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Collaboration for sustainable resources
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A number of partners were involved in the process of establishing and supporting the management plan, including Ecology Foundation and Conservation Indonesia which contributed to coordinating the preparation of the Zoning Plan, survey of resource potential, and other activities.
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Ecology Foundation, which was established in 2019, has experience in managing various programs in Riau Islands including marine conservation, species conservation, rehabilitation of critical land, reduction of plastic waste and empowerment of coastal communities. Meanwhile, Conservation Indonesia, a national foundation that aims to support sustainable development and environmental conservation, will provide technical assistance in the preparation of the management plan of the conservation area, as well as to support the strengthening of its management going forward according to the management plan to be determined through a Governor's decree. Assistance from Conservation Indonesia in this process began in January 2022.
The Chairperson of Executive Board Ecology Foundation, Tri Armanto, expressed their hope that they would be able to play a role with the community and government to achieve conservation goals as well as to improve the welfare of local communities.
Representing Conservation Indonesia , Senior Ocean Program Lead, Victor Nikijuluw said that this Marine Protected Area in the Waters of Eastern Region of Bintan Island has high strategic value due to its geographical position and potential that can be developed in the future.
"The establishment of Bintan MPA can help to reduce the impact of climate change through a blue carbon program, improve community welfare through ecotourism, sustainable fisheries production and post-production management, other local economic development, and capacity building of human resources through effective sustainable management in the area, as well as through marine and fisheries research,” he concluded.
Press Release Diskominfo Kepri : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfkmVKBPtK0
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