Randayan Island Marine Reserves Indonesia

Written by I Nyoman Budi Satriya

Introduction

Local community’s empowerment in the management of Coral reef ecosystems taken into account through developing environmental-friendly fishing activity and inspiring local community’s over education and outreach.

Randayan Island has a pristine marine ecosystem and also potential to be developed as a marine ecotourism. Located on the west coast of Borneo Island Indonesia, it has a natural nesting area for turtle that lasts throughout the year while the dominant species come from hawksbill turtle and green turtles.

Randayan Island

Due to its potential, Randayan Island was declared as a conservation area by The Government of Republic Indonesia on 16 December 2004.  Furthermore, its coral reef ecosystem has become one of the key resources for coastal tourism, but has been widely exploited by tourists and local visitor. Hence, in some circumstances, it may contribute to the future coral reef and ecosystem destruction. Referring to this, coral reef monitoring survey was conducted in order to analyzing the threats, particularly following the introduction of marine reserves within this area in 2004. Moreover, the monitoring activities carried out by direct surveys using line intercept transect method for monitoring the condition of coral reefs and also questionnaire survey to monitor social factors that may have a negative impact on the condition of coral reefs. 

As a result, in the area of no-take zone as fishing activities were prohibited, showing unstable condition with percent coral cover remaining approximately at 50.33%. The reason for this mainly happened due to the destructive catching method, natural predators such as Achantaster plancii and Diademas sp., sedimentation, ship anchor and public transport, coastal community poverty and also low enforcement.

"Local community’s empowerment in the management of Coral reef ecosystems taken into account through developing environmental-friendly fishing activity and inspiring local community’s over education and outreach".

The Randayan Island Marive Reserves

The Randayan Island Marine Reserves classified in category VI of the IUCN category. It covers an area of 15,300 hectares and divided into three zones: The core zone is a restricted area only for conservation and research activity, The buffer zone, while only low level human activities in regard to ecosystem sustainability are allowed such as fishing and snorkeling, Community development and use mix zone is a zone outside the reservation boundaries, in which limited management activity and functionality are allowed. 

Special Features

    The reserve’s coral reef area comprises of several genus such as Porites sp, Sinularia sp, Acropora sp, Millepora sp, Isis sp., Seriatopora sp, Pocillopora sp., Echinopora sp., Euphyllia sp., and Pachyseris sp. Groups of reef fish that play an important role in the food chain including the type of Amphibrion ocellaris and A. Frenatus, Malacanthus latovittatus, and Forcipige flavissimus and predatory fish like Chaetodon lunula and Chaetodon trifascialis.

Coral Reef condition in Randayan Island

·   Various rare species that are protected species such as Tridacna gigas, Tridacna scuamosa, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys  imbricata, and Gorgonian sp. Several types of seaweed are also found as Eucheuma sp., and Caulerpa sp. The other type is Sargassum sp. Marine life found among others Holothuria sp., Tridacna sp., Panulirus spp., and starfish. Sea turtles that can be found are the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). 

Results:

Estimates in this monitoring are that 25.1% coral reef in Randayan Island Marine reserves were seriously damaged (dead coral) while 74.9% were still in good condition, estimated to be around 1,500 ha with a relatively high diversity.

Funding:

The total funding for this project is $150,000, where $90,000 will be distributed by government and World Bank for 3 years. Therefore, the monitoring project still needs to raise about $60,000 to get completion. 

Recommendations:

1. Strategic action for coral reef conservation and management planning

2. Rising local public awareness due to the coral reef problems.

Resul