The people of Nusa Gede which consists of Nusa Penida, lembongan, and ceningan Island will hold “Nyepi Segara” or nyepi at the sea on the fouth full moon. The ritual is conducted in order to conserve the sea.
The ritual was held in Dalem Ped temple in Nusa Penida on Sunday, October 4th 2009. “Nyepi Segara” is similar with the regular nyepi day where no one allowed to conduct any activities in the sea for one whole day.I Wayan Sukasta, the vice of the committee of the ritual, said “all ships transportation from and to Nusa Gede was stopped.
All activities at sea were not allowed so there was no fishermen or sea weed farmers went to the sea on that day, but the activities on the land can be carried out as usual.”He explained that “Nyepi Segara” is the form of gratitude towards God in his manifestation as Baruna God, the protector of the sea. During “Nyepi Segara”, Baruna God is conducting yoga in order to produce “tirta amertha” or the holy water.“All activities including touching the sea water is prohibited during the nyepi day,” Sukasta said.
“Nyepi Segara” is also an offort by the people of Nusa Gede to conserve the environment. It was the tradition that already existed since 1600’s during the time of King Waturenggong.The ritual was held in two different places, Dalem Ped temple and Batu Medau temple because both of the temples are the biggest temples in Nsa Gede area.
Sukasta explained that the ritual started by Mepepade ceremony where all offerings being purified. Then followed by Mapekelem ceremony where the Hindus put the offerings on the sea.The ceremony is the symbol of gratitude toward God. The people of Nusa Gede know two kind of Nyepi. The first one is the regular Nyepi like the Hindus throughout Bali and the other is the Nyepi Segara.
I Made Sudiarkajaya, the head of Nusa Penida village, said that “Nyepi Segara” could become a tourism attraction for the tourists visited Nusa Penida. The ritual will be developed so it can support in making Nusa penida as the marine tourism area.He said that the Nyepi Segara had been acknowledged by the government. The Klungkung Government had donated fund to support the ritual. The government wanted to conserve the local decency by preserving the nature and environment especially the sea.
Marthen Willy, the manager of The Nature of Conservation (TNC) program in Nusa Penida, said that the ritual was suitable with the TNC program. Willy hopes that the government develops and promotes “Nyepi Segara” activities in order to attract the local to conserve the sea and tourists to visit the island.
News by International Bali Post
source : http://balivillasrentals.com/balinews/2009/10/nusa-gede-conserves-the-sea-through-%E2%80%9Cnyepi-segara%E2%80%9D/
Jumat, 09 Oktober 2009
Senin, 14 September 2009
Nusa Penida on National Geographic Video
Nusa Penida, merupakan pulau-pulau kecil yang terletak di bagian tenggara Bali, Indonesia. Kecamatan yang terdiri dari 3 pulau utama ini yaitu Penida, Ceningan dan Lembongan merupakan bagian dari kawasan segitiga karang dunia (coral triangle). Nusa Penida memiliki ekosistem pesisir dan laut yang lengkap seperti terumbu karang, hutan bakau dan padang lamun. Ahli ikan dunia - Dr.Gerry Allen dan ahli karang dunia - Dr.Emre Turak menemukan sekitar 247 jenis karang dan 562 jenis ikan di perairan Nusa Penida.
Nusa Penida juga merupakan rumah, tempat berkembang-biak dan mencari makan bagi binatang laut eksotis dan langka seperti mola mola (sunfish), pari manta (manta ray), penyu (sea turtle), dan hiu (shark). Nusa Penida juga merupakan jalur migrasi bagi paus (whale) dan lumba-lumba (dolphin).
Masyarakat di Nusa Penida sangat menggantungkan hidupnya dari laut seperti rumput laut (seaweed farming), pariwisata bahari (marine tourism) dan perikanan (fisheries). Untuk lebih lengkap mengetahui mengenai Nusa Penida dan program The Nature Conservancy (TNC) mengenai pembentukan kawasan konservasi laut (Marine Protected Area - MPA), silahkan melihat liputan Associate Press (AP) TV yang dimuat dalam National Geographic Video :
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/environment-news/coral-triangle-apvin.html
Nusa Penida juga merupakan rumah, tempat berkembang-biak dan mencari makan bagi binatang laut eksotis dan langka seperti mola mola (sunfish), pari manta (manta ray), penyu (sea turtle), dan hiu (shark). Nusa Penida juga merupakan jalur migrasi bagi paus (whale) dan lumba-lumba (dolphin).
Masyarakat di Nusa Penida sangat menggantungkan hidupnya dari laut seperti rumput laut (seaweed farming), pariwisata bahari (marine tourism) dan perikanan (fisheries). Untuk lebih lengkap mengetahui mengenai Nusa Penida dan program The Nature Conservancy (TNC) mengenai pembentukan kawasan konservasi laut (Marine Protected Area - MPA), silahkan melihat liputan Associate Press (AP) TV yang dimuat dalam National Geographic Video :
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/environment-news/coral-triangle-apvin.html
Rabu, 06 Mei 2009
Kematian Mola Mola, Peringatan Dini Kerusakan Terumbu Karang
JAKARTA – Pada akhir Maret 2009 lalu, beberapa penyelam di Pulau Air di Kepulauan Seribu, dikagetkan dengan kehadiran seekor ikan mola-mola kecil. Kaget, karena tak pernah ikan mola-mola ditemukan di wilayah itu. Lebih terkejut lagi ketika si kecil Mola kemudian mati, beberapa saat setelah ditemukan para penyelam tersebut.
Apen Sukmawijaya, salah seorang staf di Taman Nasional Laut Kepulauan Seribu (TNKS) menceritakan kejadian tersebut, baru-baru ini. “Ikan itu tiba-tiba saja muncul,” katanya. Ukurannya yang masih kecil, menunjukkan bahwa ikan ini masih bayi, bila dibandingkan dengan induknya yang bisa bertubuh tiga kali lebih besar daripada manusia dewasa. Sayangnya, beberapa saat kemudian ikan tersebut mati.
Dari beberapa penelitian, mola-mola pernah ditemukan di beberapa tempat di Indonesia. Di Nusa Penida Bali, kehadirannya kerap dijadikan promosi wisata. Selain itu, di Taman Nasional Komodo di Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Taman Nasional Wakatobi di Sulawesi Tenggara (Sultra), dan Kepulauan Raja Ampat di Papua Barat, kadang ditemukan spesies mola-mola.
Sepanjang tahun 2008, kehadiran ikan mola-mola teridentifikasi di Molas dan Talise di Sulawesi Utara. Di Molas ditemukan karena terkena jaring nelayan, kemudian mati dan dipotong-potong warga. Sementara yang ditemukan di Talise, sempat diberi perlakuan khusus agar tetap hidup, tapi sayangnya tetap menemui ajal juga. Sementara kehadiran ikan mola-mola di Kepulauan Seribu baru pertama kali ini terjadi. Kemunculan mola-mola itu tak bisa dianggap biasa.
“Ikan mola-mola adalah ikan laut dalam (ditemukan hingga kedalaman 600 meter, rata-rata 200 meter), maka ada kemungkinan yang di Nusa Penida berasal dari Samudra Hindia. Mereka “mampir” ke perairan Nusa Penida untuk membersihkan parasit di tubuhnya dengan bantuan ikan karang dan “berjemur” untuk mendapatkan sinar matahari,” urai Marthen Welly, Pimpinan Proyek The Nature Conservancy (TNC) untuk Nusa Penida, melalui surat elektronik, awal bulan ini.
Pada waktu-waktu tertentu, ikan mola-mola naik ke permukaan, sebagai penyesuaian suhu tubuhnya akibat terlalu lama berada di laut dalam, yang memiliki suhu rendah. Itu sebabnya ikan ini kadang disebut sebagai oceanic sunfish, karena kerap dijumpai sedang “berjemur” di perairan dangkal sekitar samudra. Selain berjemur ikan yang bisa memiliki tubuh hingga 3,2 meter ini suka berada di daerah terumbu karang. Lantaran dengan bantuan ikan karang seperti ikan bidadari (angle fish) dan ikan bendera (banner fish), ikan mola-mola bisa membersihkan dirinya.
Dari perilaku itu, maka wajar bila mola-mola juga terlihat di daerah Manado yang merupakan salah satu daerah dengan terumbu karang terbaik di Indonesia. Ditemukannya mola-mola di Taman Nasional Komodo, Wakatobi dan Kepulauan Raja Ampat juga masuk akal. Namun akan menjadi pertanyaan besar, ketika ikan itu juga terlihat di Kepulauan Seribu.
Tak Wajar
Augy Syahilatua dari Pusat Penelitian Oseanografi-Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (P2O-LIPI), memperkirakan kematian mola-mola tak wajar. Mengingat biasanya ikan ini hidup pada kedalaman 30-480 meter, menurut teori Fishbase, tahun 2009. Marthen Welly mengemukakan asumsi serupa. Menurutnya, perairan TN Kepulauan Seribu kerap tercemar oleh tumpahan minyak.
Terlepas dari berbagai teori kematian itu, kerusakan lingkungan hidup juga dapat menjadi penyebabnya. Seperti berkurangnya sumber makanan mola-mola seperti ubur-ubur, udang, zooplankton, cumi dan ikan-ikan kecil. “Bahkan ikan mola-mola kerap dijumpai mati akibat memakan sampah plastik di laut yang mereka kira ubur-ubur,” lanjut.
Sementara penyebab ikan tersebut ada di Kepulauan Seribu, dianalisis karena semakin berbedanya kondisi suhu lautan akibat pemanasan global. Seperti di Nusa Penida, beberapa penyelam pernah menjumpai mola-mola pada Desember-Januari, padahal biasanya antara Juli–September. Diperkirakan perubahan iklim akibat kerusakan lingkungan turut memengaruhi perilaku mola-mola, karena suhu air laut juga berubah. Ketersediaan makanan yang semakin berkurang dan semakin sedikitnya ikan bidadari dan ikan bendera akibat kerusakan terumbu karang juga kian memperlihatkan perilaku mola-mola yang menyimpang.
Kematian mola-mola kecil di Kepulauan Seribu, bisa jadi lantaran terpisah dari kelompok besar atau induknya, sementara panas laut kemudian mengantarnya ke perairan utara Jakarta yang hangat. Namun karena kondisi lingkungan yang buruk di sana serta buruknya kualitas makanan, ikan tersebut akhirnya menemui ajal. Sayangnya, belum ada studi yang mendalam tentang hal ini. Seperti jalur ruaya (imigrasi) ikan mola-mola dan beberapa perilaku yang belum diketahui.
Kini ikan mola-mola yang ditemukan di Talise dan Kepulauan Seribu telah diawetkan. Khusus yang ditemukan di Talise, akan dipamerkan dalam Konferensi Kelautan Internasional (WOC) di Manado, bulan Mei nanti, sebagai pertanda peringatan dini mengenai buruknya wilayah terumbu karang. (sulung prasetyo)
sumber : http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0904/30/kesra03.html
Apen Sukmawijaya, salah seorang staf di Taman Nasional Laut Kepulauan Seribu (TNKS) menceritakan kejadian tersebut, baru-baru ini. “Ikan itu tiba-tiba saja muncul,” katanya. Ukurannya yang masih kecil, menunjukkan bahwa ikan ini masih bayi, bila dibandingkan dengan induknya yang bisa bertubuh tiga kali lebih besar daripada manusia dewasa. Sayangnya, beberapa saat kemudian ikan tersebut mati.
Dari beberapa penelitian, mola-mola pernah ditemukan di beberapa tempat di Indonesia. Di Nusa Penida Bali, kehadirannya kerap dijadikan promosi wisata. Selain itu, di Taman Nasional Komodo di Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Taman Nasional Wakatobi di Sulawesi Tenggara (Sultra), dan Kepulauan Raja Ampat di Papua Barat, kadang ditemukan spesies mola-mola.
Sepanjang tahun 2008, kehadiran ikan mola-mola teridentifikasi di Molas dan Talise di Sulawesi Utara. Di Molas ditemukan karena terkena jaring nelayan, kemudian mati dan dipotong-potong warga. Sementara yang ditemukan di Talise, sempat diberi perlakuan khusus agar tetap hidup, tapi sayangnya tetap menemui ajal juga. Sementara kehadiran ikan mola-mola di Kepulauan Seribu baru pertama kali ini terjadi. Kemunculan mola-mola itu tak bisa dianggap biasa.
“Ikan mola-mola adalah ikan laut dalam (ditemukan hingga kedalaman 600 meter, rata-rata 200 meter), maka ada kemungkinan yang di Nusa Penida berasal dari Samudra Hindia. Mereka “mampir” ke perairan Nusa Penida untuk membersihkan parasit di tubuhnya dengan bantuan ikan karang dan “berjemur” untuk mendapatkan sinar matahari,” urai Marthen Welly, Pimpinan Proyek The Nature Conservancy (TNC) untuk Nusa Penida, melalui surat elektronik, awal bulan ini.
Pada waktu-waktu tertentu, ikan mola-mola naik ke permukaan, sebagai penyesuaian suhu tubuhnya akibat terlalu lama berada di laut dalam, yang memiliki suhu rendah. Itu sebabnya ikan ini kadang disebut sebagai oceanic sunfish, karena kerap dijumpai sedang “berjemur” di perairan dangkal sekitar samudra. Selain berjemur ikan yang bisa memiliki tubuh hingga 3,2 meter ini suka berada di daerah terumbu karang. Lantaran dengan bantuan ikan karang seperti ikan bidadari (angle fish) dan ikan bendera (banner fish), ikan mola-mola bisa membersihkan dirinya.
Dari perilaku itu, maka wajar bila mola-mola juga terlihat di daerah Manado yang merupakan salah satu daerah dengan terumbu karang terbaik di Indonesia. Ditemukannya mola-mola di Taman Nasional Komodo, Wakatobi dan Kepulauan Raja Ampat juga masuk akal. Namun akan menjadi pertanyaan besar, ketika ikan itu juga terlihat di Kepulauan Seribu.
Tak Wajar
Augy Syahilatua dari Pusat Penelitian Oseanografi-Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (P2O-LIPI), memperkirakan kematian mola-mola tak wajar. Mengingat biasanya ikan ini hidup pada kedalaman 30-480 meter, menurut teori Fishbase, tahun 2009. Marthen Welly mengemukakan asumsi serupa. Menurutnya, perairan TN Kepulauan Seribu kerap tercemar oleh tumpahan minyak.
Terlepas dari berbagai teori kematian itu, kerusakan lingkungan hidup juga dapat menjadi penyebabnya. Seperti berkurangnya sumber makanan mola-mola seperti ubur-ubur, udang, zooplankton, cumi dan ikan-ikan kecil. “Bahkan ikan mola-mola kerap dijumpai mati akibat memakan sampah plastik di laut yang mereka kira ubur-ubur,” lanjut.
Sementara penyebab ikan tersebut ada di Kepulauan Seribu, dianalisis karena semakin berbedanya kondisi suhu lautan akibat pemanasan global. Seperti di Nusa Penida, beberapa penyelam pernah menjumpai mola-mola pada Desember-Januari, padahal biasanya antara Juli–September. Diperkirakan perubahan iklim akibat kerusakan lingkungan turut memengaruhi perilaku mola-mola, karena suhu air laut juga berubah. Ketersediaan makanan yang semakin berkurang dan semakin sedikitnya ikan bidadari dan ikan bendera akibat kerusakan terumbu karang juga kian memperlihatkan perilaku mola-mola yang menyimpang.
Kematian mola-mola kecil di Kepulauan Seribu, bisa jadi lantaran terpisah dari kelompok besar atau induknya, sementara panas laut kemudian mengantarnya ke perairan utara Jakarta yang hangat. Namun karena kondisi lingkungan yang buruk di sana serta buruknya kualitas makanan, ikan tersebut akhirnya menemui ajal. Sayangnya, belum ada studi yang mendalam tentang hal ini. Seperti jalur ruaya (imigrasi) ikan mola-mola dan beberapa perilaku yang belum diketahui.
Kini ikan mola-mola yang ditemukan di Talise dan Kepulauan Seribu telah diawetkan. Khusus yang ditemukan di Talise, akan dipamerkan dalam Konferensi Kelautan Internasional (WOC) di Manado, bulan Mei nanti, sebagai pertanda peringatan dini mengenai buruknya wilayah terumbu karang. (sulung prasetyo)
sumber : http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0904/30/kesra03.html
Underwater Earth Day for Students
Ni Made Pande received a standing ovation from the audience after delivering an inspiring and eloquent speech on the importance of preserving coral reefs at a speech contest held to commemorate Earth Day.
Pande spoke about the coral reefs in Nusa Penida waters, in Klungkung regency, some 25 kilometers east of Denpasar or an hour of boat ride.
"If we throw rubbish into the sea and fish destructively, our underwater lives will be in danger," she told the audience with an emotional tone.
"Will we let our future generation become parasites, begging people for jobs?"
Pande was one of the participants in a speech contest for senior high school students jointly organized by The Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC) and Satya Posana Nusa (SPN).
The event was held in conjunction with the commemoration of Earth Day in Nusa Lembongan islet on Wednesday.
A heaven for divers, the 1,800 hectare Nusa Penida area encompasses three islets - Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida.
It is home to nearly 250 rare species of coral and more than 550 species of reef fish.
The TNC is currently working on a project aimed at conserving the marine area around the islets.
Kasriyati, a participant from SMA 1 Nusa Penida High School emphasized the need to establish a marine conservation area and criticized the poor management of marine and underwater tourism around the three islets of Nusa Penida.
"We need to improve inefficient management of the current marine tourism activities," she said.
"There are too many boats operating in the islets. Their anchors often knock the coral reefs and seriously damaged them."
The speech indeed worked well to arouse the awareness of school students of the importance of marine conservation efforts in an attempt to maintain the marine ecosystem of Nusa Penida.
The teenage audience looked attentive as they listened to the participants.
Some 100 students from elementary to high schools gathered in the Nusa Lembongan in the morning to participate in a beach cleaning campaign, as part the Earth Day commemorative program.
They were later divided into two groups to enjoy underwater scenery aboard a submarine boat and a from a wide pontoon with glass sides, courtesy of Bali Hai Cruises.
After looking patiently, the elementary school students happily clapped and whistled upon seeing a group of small fish with yellow and black strips swim gracefully across the glass window.
It did not take long before they hurriedly jumped from one window to the other every time someone shouted about seeing an interesting species, such as Porites coral.
"This is my first experience *looking underwater* and I am so happy!" nine-year-old student Nur Jaya Ardiana said.
Although the students live on Nusa Penida, they are rarely exposed to the beauty of its underwater life. The trip was a luxury for many of them, who cannot afford the price of a retail ticket.
Ayu Kusuma, 16, said she was lucky she could join the trip because her father never let her dive to see the area's coral reef or famous Mola-mola fish.
Renata Chandler, the wife of the owner of Bali Hai Cruises, said she was so glad being part of the Earth Day program.
"It was part of the company's platform to give back to the community," she said buoyantly.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/04/23/underwater-earth-day-students.html
Pande spoke about the coral reefs in Nusa Penida waters, in Klungkung regency, some 25 kilometers east of Denpasar or an hour of boat ride.
"If we throw rubbish into the sea and fish destructively, our underwater lives will be in danger," she told the audience with an emotional tone.
"Will we let our future generation become parasites, begging people for jobs?"
Pande was one of the participants in a speech contest for senior high school students jointly organized by The Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC) and Satya Posana Nusa (SPN).
The event was held in conjunction with the commemoration of Earth Day in Nusa Lembongan islet on Wednesday.
A heaven for divers, the 1,800 hectare Nusa Penida area encompasses three islets - Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida.
It is home to nearly 250 rare species of coral and more than 550 species of reef fish.
The TNC is currently working on a project aimed at conserving the marine area around the islets.
Kasriyati, a participant from SMA 1 Nusa Penida High School emphasized the need to establish a marine conservation area and criticized the poor management of marine and underwater tourism around the three islets of Nusa Penida.
"We need to improve inefficient management of the current marine tourism activities," she said.
"There are too many boats operating in the islets. Their anchors often knock the coral reefs and seriously damaged them."
The speech indeed worked well to arouse the awareness of school students of the importance of marine conservation efforts in an attempt to maintain the marine ecosystem of Nusa Penida.
The teenage audience looked attentive as they listened to the participants.
Some 100 students from elementary to high schools gathered in the Nusa Lembongan in the morning to participate in a beach cleaning campaign, as part the Earth Day commemorative program.
They were later divided into two groups to enjoy underwater scenery aboard a submarine boat and a from a wide pontoon with glass sides, courtesy of Bali Hai Cruises.
After looking patiently, the elementary school students happily clapped and whistled upon seeing a group of small fish with yellow and black strips swim gracefully across the glass window.
It did not take long before they hurriedly jumped from one window to the other every time someone shouted about seeing an interesting species, such as Porites coral.
"This is my first experience *looking underwater* and I am so happy!" nine-year-old student Nur Jaya Ardiana said.
Although the students live on Nusa Penida, they are rarely exposed to the beauty of its underwater life. The trip was a luxury for many of them, who cannot afford the price of a retail ticket.
Ayu Kusuma, 16, said she was lucky she could join the trip because her father never let her dive to see the area's coral reef or famous Mola-mola fish.
Renata Chandler, the wife of the owner of Bali Hai Cruises, said she was so glad being part of the Earth Day program.
"It was part of the company's platform to give back to the community," she said buoyantly.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/04/23/underwater-earth-day-students.html
Kamis, 26 Februari 2009
Community moves to protect reefs
oleh Indah Setiawati/JP
“If our diving equipment breaks, we can always buy new equipment in shops. But if the precious coral reef is damaged, where do we buy a new one?”
That remark was not made by a political party targeting voters who support the vulnerable marine treasury protection in Bali in the upcoming general election.
Marthen Welly, a professional diver and project leader of a worldwide organization concerned with natural resources conservation, reiterates that message to everyone he meets when he talks about coral reefs and species living in reefs.
He works for the Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), which is working on a project aimed at conserving the marine area in the Nusa Penida islets, which comprise Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida islands.
Known as a paradise destination for tourists who love scuba diving and snorkeling, the islets feature 1,800 hectares of pristine coral reefs made up of 247 protected coral species. The coral reef beds are home to 562 species of reef fishes.
The islands, however, are ill-equipped with regulations to protect the marine resources, and there is a limited budget to preserve the underwater treasury, as tourists only have to pay entrance fees of as little as Rp 1,000.
Marthen said the TNC-CTC proposed the inclusion of three zones, namely the central, the utilization and the marine tourism zones, in the marine conservation area plan.
The central zone will cover areas that have the most breathtaking underwater view and are often visited by the world-famous Mola-mola fish and other types of marine life, including the manta ray and sperm whale.
The utilization zone comprises offshore areas that can be utilized for seaweed farming and fishing; while the marine tourism zone, which also includes the central zone, can be used for water sports activities.
“Separating the zones is important because the activities in the islets are not well-managed now. People can plant seaweed anywhere, or fish in the snorkeling and diving spots,” Marthen said.
He added if such practices continued, they could trigger a horizontal conflict among seaweed farmers, tourism-related businesspeople and fishermen, as each sought out the best locations for their activities.
“We need to conserve the Nusa Penida islets immediately to prevent damage to the coral reefs, but it can’t been done instantly,” he said, adding the program required local residents, the Klungkung administration and the tourism industry to share the same vision the conservation activists proposed.
He said the idea of a marine conservation area itself could somehow give a wrong impression to local residents because they could mistakenly think they would be prohibited from conducting activities in the conserved area.
Marthen said that once the marine conservation area was approved by the local administration in the form of a regent’s decree, it would be run by a collaborative management body.
“The body will consist of representatives from the local residents, the administration, a local NGO and businesspeople. They will run some programs and determine the dos and don’ts in the conservation area,” he said.
“Currently, there are no rules on the maximum number of people who can dive at the same time. Once I saw 20 boats anchored in the same spot.”
Marthen also said the TNC-CTC would run a study to see how much money overseas tourists were prepared to pay to help conserve the marine area each time they visited the islands.
“I’m sure they would be willing to pay, because most divers understand that the coral reef is priceless,” he said.
He added his organization expected it would take five years to set up the project, and said he hoped that by the end of 2012, the collaborative management body would be able to be an independent and financially sustainable institution.
The project aims to endorse the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), a program proposed by several countries to halt the degradation of vulnerable coral colonies and conserve threatened marine species in the coral triangle area, which comprised Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The six countries will sign the initiative at the first ever World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May this year.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/26/community-moves-protect-reefs.html
“If our diving equipment breaks, we can always buy new equipment in shops. But if the precious coral reef is damaged, where do we buy a new one?”
That remark was not made by a political party targeting voters who support the vulnerable marine treasury protection in Bali in the upcoming general election.
Marthen Welly, a professional diver and project leader of a worldwide organization concerned with natural resources conservation, reiterates that message to everyone he meets when he talks about coral reefs and species living in reefs.
He works for the Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), which is working on a project aimed at conserving the marine area in the Nusa Penida islets, which comprise Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida islands.
Known as a paradise destination for tourists who love scuba diving and snorkeling, the islets feature 1,800 hectares of pristine coral reefs made up of 247 protected coral species. The coral reef beds are home to 562 species of reef fishes.
The islands, however, are ill-equipped with regulations to protect the marine resources, and there is a limited budget to preserve the underwater treasury, as tourists only have to pay entrance fees of as little as Rp 1,000.
Marthen said the TNC-CTC proposed the inclusion of three zones, namely the central, the utilization and the marine tourism zones, in the marine conservation area plan.
The central zone will cover areas that have the most breathtaking underwater view and are often visited by the world-famous Mola-mola fish and other types of marine life, including the manta ray and sperm whale.
The utilization zone comprises offshore areas that can be utilized for seaweed farming and fishing; while the marine tourism zone, which also includes the central zone, can be used for water sports activities.
“Separating the zones is important because the activities in the islets are not well-managed now. People can plant seaweed anywhere, or fish in the snorkeling and diving spots,” Marthen said.
He added if such practices continued, they could trigger a horizontal conflict among seaweed farmers, tourism-related businesspeople and fishermen, as each sought out the best locations for their activities.
“We need to conserve the Nusa Penida islets immediately to prevent damage to the coral reefs, but it can’t been done instantly,” he said, adding the program required local residents, the Klungkung administration and the tourism industry to share the same vision the conservation activists proposed.
He said the idea of a marine conservation area itself could somehow give a wrong impression to local residents because they could mistakenly think they would be prohibited from conducting activities in the conserved area.
Marthen said that once the marine conservation area was approved by the local administration in the form of a regent’s decree, it would be run by a collaborative management body.
“The body will consist of representatives from the local residents, the administration, a local NGO and businesspeople. They will run some programs and determine the dos and don’ts in the conservation area,” he said.
“Currently, there are no rules on the maximum number of people who can dive at the same time. Once I saw 20 boats anchored in the same spot.”
Marthen also said the TNC-CTC would run a study to see how much money overseas tourists were prepared to pay to help conserve the marine area each time they visited the islands.
“I’m sure they would be willing to pay, because most divers understand that the coral reef is priceless,” he said.
He added his organization expected it would take five years to set up the project, and said he hoped that by the end of 2012, the collaborative management body would be able to be an independent and financially sustainable institution.
The project aims to endorse the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), a program proposed by several countries to halt the degradation of vulnerable coral colonies and conserve threatened marine species in the coral triangle area, which comprised Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The six countries will sign the initiative at the first ever World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May this year.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/26/community-moves-protect-reefs.html
Senin, 23 Februari 2009
Residents lack tools to monitor destructive fishing
Indah Setiawati, , The Jakarta Post, , Klungkung Tue, 02/24/2009 12:59 PM Bali
Local fishermen and activists on Nusa Lembongan stated Saturday they do not have the necessary equipment to monitor destructive fishing practices carried out by fishermen from outside the area, placing the tiny island's underwater treasures in constant danger.
Suarbawa, a local resident, said many fishermen from outside the island were regularly seen anchoring their boats some 500 meters off the beach.
He said the residents could not check whether they were using hazardous chemicals or explosive material to fish in the protected reef area because they did not have sufficient boats.
"We have to borrow local fisherman's boats to give chase, but we often lose them as they usually have more powerful boats," said the member of Satya Posana Nusa, a local NGO focusing on environmental conservation.
Lembongan village chief I Nyoman Murta echoed similar sentiments, saying that residents intent on checking the suspicious boats would have to help pay for the fuel of the borrowed boats.
Suarbawa said the lack of necessary equipment had forced them to check suspicious boats when it was already too late, only after local fishermen had reported damage to the coral or a sudden fish scarcity following the presence of the suspect boats.
"It seems there is causality between the two things. When the boats anchor frequently and for a long time, the local fishermen, who use traditional fishing techniques, notice that their catch decreases significantly," he said.
He said the residents had managed to chase the boats, but it was difficult to get hard evidence because the perpetrators simply threw dangerous substances like potassium into the sea.
"Moreover, the explosives they use are getting more sophisticated today; they now make quiet explosions under the sea using a certain tool that can be left underwater," Suarbawa said.
He hoped there would be more serious mechanisms to handle these destructive fishing practices in the future.
Abdul Halim, a program manager for the Nature Conservancy - Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), a global conservation organization working on Nusa Penida, said stricter law enforcement measures were needed to stop these dangerous practices.
"Such fishing methods can inflict severe damage on the protected coral reef and fish and cause negative economic impacts on the locals," he said on the sidelines of the launch of the Community Center in Nusa Lembongan.
The center aims to accomodate various activities related to Nusa Penida marine conservation.
Nusa Penida islets comprise Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Located some 11 kilometers southeast of Bali, the islands are home to some 1,800 hectares of 247 protected species of coral reef and 562 species of reef fish.
The area is included in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) program that is aimed at halting the degradation of coral colonies and conserving vulnerable marine species from the impacts of global warming.
Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands will sign the initiative at the first ever World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May this year.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/24/residents-lack-tools-monitor-destructive-fishing.html
Local fishermen and activists on Nusa Lembongan stated Saturday they do not have the necessary equipment to monitor destructive fishing practices carried out by fishermen from outside the area, placing the tiny island's underwater treasures in constant danger.
Suarbawa, a local resident, said many fishermen from outside the island were regularly seen anchoring their boats some 500 meters off the beach.
He said the residents could not check whether they were using hazardous chemicals or explosive material to fish in the protected reef area because they did not have sufficient boats.
"We have to borrow local fisherman's boats to give chase, but we often lose them as they usually have more powerful boats," said the member of Satya Posana Nusa, a local NGO focusing on environmental conservation.
Lembongan village chief I Nyoman Murta echoed similar sentiments, saying that residents intent on checking the suspicious boats would have to help pay for the fuel of the borrowed boats.
Suarbawa said the lack of necessary equipment had forced them to check suspicious boats when it was already too late, only after local fishermen had reported damage to the coral or a sudden fish scarcity following the presence of the suspect boats.
"It seems there is causality between the two things. When the boats anchor frequently and for a long time, the local fishermen, who use traditional fishing techniques, notice that their catch decreases significantly," he said.
He said the residents had managed to chase the boats, but it was difficult to get hard evidence because the perpetrators simply threw dangerous substances like potassium into the sea.
"Moreover, the explosives they use are getting more sophisticated today; they now make quiet explosions under the sea using a certain tool that can be left underwater," Suarbawa said.
He hoped there would be more serious mechanisms to handle these destructive fishing practices in the future.
Abdul Halim, a program manager for the Nature Conservancy - Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), a global conservation organization working on Nusa Penida, said stricter law enforcement measures were needed to stop these dangerous practices.
"Such fishing methods can inflict severe damage on the protected coral reef and fish and cause negative economic impacts on the locals," he said on the sidelines of the launch of the Community Center in Nusa Lembongan.
The center aims to accomodate various activities related to Nusa Penida marine conservation.
Nusa Penida islets comprise Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Located some 11 kilometers southeast of Bali, the islands are home to some 1,800 hectares of 247 protected species of coral reef and 562 species of reef fish.
The area is included in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) program that is aimed at halting the degradation of coral colonies and conserving vulnerable marine species from the impacts of global warming.
Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands will sign the initiative at the first ever World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May this year.
source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/24/residents-lack-tools-monitor-destructive-fishing.html
Minggu, 22 Februari 2009
Nusa Penida Community Center
Nusa Penida, 21 Februari 2009 – Masyarakat Nusa Lembongan yang tergabung dalam Satya Posana Nusa, difasilitasi oleh The Nature Conservancy – Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC) membuka Community Center (Pusat Kegiatan Masyarakat) di Nusa Lembongan. Berbagai kegiatan yang akan dilakukan masyarakat di Community Center ini diantaranya adalah berbagai pelatihan, pertemuan, diskusi, lokakarya dan konsultasi terkait pelestarian ekosistem pesisir dan laut di kecamatan Nusa Penida.
Direktur Program Segitiga Terumbu Karang TNC-CTC, Rili Djohani, dalam acara peluncuran mengatakan, “Bagi TNC-CTC, pembentukan Community Center ini adalah bagian dari upaya TNC dalam meningkatkan kapasitas lokal agar bisa secara aktif mengambil inisiatif dan peran dalam upaya-upaya perlindungan dan konservasi laut di pulau mereka sendiri.” Lebih lanjut Rili Djohani menjelaskan “pendekatan kolaboratif dan partisipatif inilah yang didorong dalam rangka kemitraan antara TNC-CTC dengan pemerintah Indonesia untuk melindungi terumbu karang dan biota laut penting lainnya di kawasan Segitiga Terumbu Karang (Coral Triangle) yang meliputi Indonesia, Filipina, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua Nugini dan Kepulauan Solomon.”
Saat ini, TNC-CTC bekerja di Nusa Penida bersama masyarakat setempat, pemerintah Kabupaten Klungkung dan mitra lainnya untuk memfasilitasi pembentukan dan pengelolaan Kawasan Konservasi Laut (KKL) Nusa Penida yang akan memiliki luas sekitar 10,000 hektar. KKL itu nantinya akan memiliki beberapa wilayah peruntukan (zona) yang diantaranya adalah zona perlindungan untuk kelestarian terumbu karang dan tempat berkembangbiak biota laut penting seperti jenis ikan bernilai ekonomi tinggi, mola mola and pari manta. KKL ini juga akan memiliki zona pemanfaatan, baik untuk budidaya rumput laut, parwisata bahari dan perikanan tangkap.
Project Leader TNC-CTC untuk Nusa Penida, Marthen Welly mengatakan, “tujuan utama dari pembentukan KKL Nusa Penida ini adalah pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati laut untuk keberlangsungan sumber matapencaharian masyarakat. Hasil yang akan didapat adalah keselarasan antara pelestarian keanekaragaman biota laut dan terumbu karang dengan ketahanan pangan dan penghidupan yang bersumber dari laut, untuk jangka waktu yang panjang.”
Tokoh masyarakat Nusa Penida yang tergabung dalam Satya Posana Nusa dan ikut aktif dalam seluruh upaya pelestarian dan perlindungan laut Nusa Penida, I Wayan Suarbawa mengatakan, “Community Center ini akan menjadi pusat berbagai kegiatan masyarakat untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan ketrampilan dalam pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati laut di Nusa Penida.” “Kalau bukan kami sendiri warga Nusa Penida yang menjaga kekayaan laut pulau kami, lalu siapa lagi?” demikian Suarbawa menambahkan.
Secara geografis, Nusa Penida adalah kecamatan yang terdiri dari tiga pulau, yaitu Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, dan Nusa Ceningan, terletak di bagian selatan kawasan Coral Triangle. Kecamatan yang berjarak 45 menit perjalanan dari Sanur menggunakan speedboat ini memiliki luas total daratan 20.000 hektar dan sekitar 44 ribu penduduk yang tersebar di 16 desa, dengan sumber penghasilan utama budidaya rumput laut dan pariwisata bahari.
Perairan Nusa Penida memiliki 230 hektar area hutan bakau, 1.800 hektar terumbu karang, dan perairannya terkenal dengan Mola-Mola, Pari Manta (manta birostris), Penyu Hijau (chelonia mydas), Penyu Sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata), Dugong (dugong dugon), Paus Sperma (physeter catodon), dan beberapa jenis lumba-lumba. Berdasarkan kajian ekologi laut secara cepat terbaru di perairan Nusa Penida dijumpai 247 jenis karang dan 562 jenis ikan. Hal ini menunjukan perairan Nusa Penida memiliki keanekaragaman hayati laut yang cukup tinggi sebagai bagian dari kawasan Coral Triangle.
Pemerintah Republik Indonesia mencanangkan program untuk memperluas kawasan konservasi laut (KKL) di Indonesia menjadi 10 juta hektar pada tahun 2010 dan 20 juta hektar pada tahun 2020. Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono juga telah mencanangkan Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) pada tahun 2007 saat APEC di Sydney Australia untuk melestarikan terumbu karang di kawasan Coral Triangle, yang mendapatkan dukungan dari enam negara dalam wilayah tersebut bersama Amerika dan Australia. Seluruh upaya pemerintah Indonesia ini merupakan bagian dari upaya konkrit dalam menyongsong rencana aksi bersama yang akan disahkan oleh seluruh negara yang tergabung dalam World Ocean Conference (WOC) di Manado, Sulawesi Utara, pada Mei 2009 nanti.
Marthen Welly / Project Leader – Nusa Penida
The Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC)
Mobile: 08123877089, Email: mwelly@tnc.org
Direktur Program Segitiga Terumbu Karang TNC-CTC, Rili Djohani, dalam acara peluncuran mengatakan, “Bagi TNC-CTC, pembentukan Community Center ini adalah bagian dari upaya TNC dalam meningkatkan kapasitas lokal agar bisa secara aktif mengambil inisiatif dan peran dalam upaya-upaya perlindungan dan konservasi laut di pulau mereka sendiri.” Lebih lanjut Rili Djohani menjelaskan “pendekatan kolaboratif dan partisipatif inilah yang didorong dalam rangka kemitraan antara TNC-CTC dengan pemerintah Indonesia untuk melindungi terumbu karang dan biota laut penting lainnya di kawasan Segitiga Terumbu Karang (Coral Triangle) yang meliputi Indonesia, Filipina, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua Nugini dan Kepulauan Solomon.”
Saat ini, TNC-CTC bekerja di Nusa Penida bersama masyarakat setempat, pemerintah Kabupaten Klungkung dan mitra lainnya untuk memfasilitasi pembentukan dan pengelolaan Kawasan Konservasi Laut (KKL) Nusa Penida yang akan memiliki luas sekitar 10,000 hektar. KKL itu nantinya akan memiliki beberapa wilayah peruntukan (zona) yang diantaranya adalah zona perlindungan untuk kelestarian terumbu karang dan tempat berkembangbiak biota laut penting seperti jenis ikan bernilai ekonomi tinggi, mola mola and pari manta. KKL ini juga akan memiliki zona pemanfaatan, baik untuk budidaya rumput laut, parwisata bahari dan perikanan tangkap.
Project Leader TNC-CTC untuk Nusa Penida, Marthen Welly mengatakan, “tujuan utama dari pembentukan KKL Nusa Penida ini adalah pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati laut untuk keberlangsungan sumber matapencaharian masyarakat. Hasil yang akan didapat adalah keselarasan antara pelestarian keanekaragaman biota laut dan terumbu karang dengan ketahanan pangan dan penghidupan yang bersumber dari laut, untuk jangka waktu yang panjang.”
Tokoh masyarakat Nusa Penida yang tergabung dalam Satya Posana Nusa dan ikut aktif dalam seluruh upaya pelestarian dan perlindungan laut Nusa Penida, I Wayan Suarbawa mengatakan, “Community Center ini akan menjadi pusat berbagai kegiatan masyarakat untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan ketrampilan dalam pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati laut di Nusa Penida.” “Kalau bukan kami sendiri warga Nusa Penida yang menjaga kekayaan laut pulau kami, lalu siapa lagi?” demikian Suarbawa menambahkan.
Secara geografis, Nusa Penida adalah kecamatan yang terdiri dari tiga pulau, yaitu Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, dan Nusa Ceningan, terletak di bagian selatan kawasan Coral Triangle. Kecamatan yang berjarak 45 menit perjalanan dari Sanur menggunakan speedboat ini memiliki luas total daratan 20.000 hektar dan sekitar 44 ribu penduduk yang tersebar di 16 desa, dengan sumber penghasilan utama budidaya rumput laut dan pariwisata bahari.
Perairan Nusa Penida memiliki 230 hektar area hutan bakau, 1.800 hektar terumbu karang, dan perairannya terkenal dengan Mola-Mola, Pari Manta (manta birostris), Penyu Hijau (chelonia mydas), Penyu Sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata), Dugong (dugong dugon), Paus Sperma (physeter catodon), dan beberapa jenis lumba-lumba. Berdasarkan kajian ekologi laut secara cepat terbaru di perairan Nusa Penida dijumpai 247 jenis karang dan 562 jenis ikan. Hal ini menunjukan perairan Nusa Penida memiliki keanekaragaman hayati laut yang cukup tinggi sebagai bagian dari kawasan Coral Triangle.
Pemerintah Republik Indonesia mencanangkan program untuk memperluas kawasan konservasi laut (KKL) di Indonesia menjadi 10 juta hektar pada tahun 2010 dan 20 juta hektar pada tahun 2020. Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono juga telah mencanangkan Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) pada tahun 2007 saat APEC di Sydney Australia untuk melestarikan terumbu karang di kawasan Coral Triangle, yang mendapatkan dukungan dari enam negara dalam wilayah tersebut bersama Amerika dan Australia. Seluruh upaya pemerintah Indonesia ini merupakan bagian dari upaya konkrit dalam menyongsong rencana aksi bersama yang akan disahkan oleh seluruh negara yang tergabung dalam World Ocean Conference (WOC) di Manado, Sulawesi Utara, pada Mei 2009 nanti.
Marthen Welly / Project Leader – Nusa Penida
The Nature Conservancy-Coral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC)
Mobile: 08123877089, Email: mwelly@tnc.org
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