23 November 2006
Pristine dive sites in North Sulawesi spared
Marine biologists acknowledge that North Sulawesi is the centre of marine bio-diversity on the planet. It is now a popular destination for discerning dive tourists, earmarked to become a World Heritage Site.
The North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA), which represents many of the area’s dive resorts, helped achieve this important victory in the protection of a unique marine habitat. The NSWA launched a local media campaign to raise awareness of the threat, even presenting the case to representatives of the Indonesian Parliament.
The Ministry’s announcement comes as welcome news for sustainable development. However, concern still remains about how the gold mine will dispose of its waste. It is believed that it is now planning to dump it on land, but this could lead to new threats. Local environmentalists are worried that toxic bi-products of the mining process could end up in the area’s water, creating a health risk to the local population. Also, that an earthquake, in this seismically active area, could trigger a landslide. (A recent earthquake in Papua led to a deadly landslide at another mine.)
To support the continuing campaign or read more on this story, visit www.divenorthsulawesi.com. Alternatively contact Richard Parks at RP Marketing in the UK; email rpmarketg@aol.com.
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Labels: dive destination, Indonesia
19 September 2006
50 New Species Discovered in Indonesia, Including Walking Sharks
The region, however, is coming under increasing threat from a proposed national policy to increase commercial fisheries there.
Among the new species were two kinds of epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium sp.) – small, slender-bodied bottom-dwellers that use their pectoral fins to "walk" across the seafloor.
Also discovered were several new species of "flasher" wrasses – named for the brilliantly colored displays the normally drab males flash to entice females to mate – along with fairy basslets, damselfishes, and a new jawfish. The scientists recorded a total of 1,233 species of coral reef fishes, at least 23 of them endemic.
Of more than 600 known species of coral in the region, nearly all were found within the team's survey sites. Six sites surveyed proved to have the highest diversity of hard corals ever recorded, each with more than 250 species within a single hectare.
"That's more than four times the number of coral species of the entire Caribbean Sea in an area roughly the size of two football fields," says Conservation International's Mark Erdmann.
The team found widespread evidence of bomb-fishing – a practice used to stun fish that are collected for food, or as bait for the lucrative shark fin industry. "On several survey dives, we heard reef-shattering explosions in the vicinity," says Erdmann.
A plan to transfer fisheries pressure from Indonesia's over-fished western seas eastward toward the surveyed region may exacerbate these threats.
"We are now closely examining the survey recommendations and may support the development of a network of fisheries reserves in the region to safeguard this priceless national heritage," says Yaya Mulyana, head of the Indonesian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs' Marine Conservation Department.
Source: Conservation International
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11 September 2006
Preserve the Manta Ray in Indonesia
A Flying Manta Project has been initiated by Ivan Choong who is "proud to be using my skills with underwater photography to contribute back to conservation".The Manta ray has been listed on the 2005 IUCN Red List, along with four species of Mobula rays.
Thousands of Manta rays are slaughtered annually by fishermen in Indonesia, Mexico and although now illegal, the Philippines, for food and to supply powdered brachial elements for Asian traditional medicine. This demand has changed the Indonesian fishery from a subsistence fishery catching 200-300 Mantas/year to a commercial fishery catching between 1,000-2,400 Mantas/year.
Ivan hopes to increase governments' and NGOs' awareness of Manta rays' vulnerability to fishing pressure. The long lifespan, late maturity and low reproductive rate of Manta rays make them a poor target fishery because they cannot quickly replace adults that are removed from a population. Mantas live 50--100 years, reach maturity at 8--10 years, and have only one pup every 1--3 years.
Ivan's objective is to conduct research on the Manta rays in Bali with the aim of promoting Manta ray conservation in the SE Asia region. All data gathered will be analysed in collaboration with local researchers in Singapore, Indonesia and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation based in Hawaii.
There is a 95% success rate of spotting Mantas when diving at Manta Point (southwest Nusa Penida, Bali's largest offshore island) so for Phase I of the project, for almost three weeks in Aug 06, Ivan looked into the migratory patterns of Mantas at Manta Point by cataloguing those sighted daily.
This was done by photographing the specific markings on their undersides, assigning a project number to each, and keeping records of the frequency of their visits to Manta Point; as well as keeping records of daily weather and tidal conditions, the time of day, and the number of Mantas at the start of each dive.
For Phase II, in August 2007: the project will expand to include more participants and guest researchers.
For Phase III, in August 2008: an increased number of participants and continuation of data collection.
Anyone wishing further information can contact Ivan on: flyingMantaproject@i-nsc.net
Source: Aquamarine Diving Bali
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