Ekodrainase

Konsep Ekodrainase sebagai Pengganti Drainase Konvensional

SUNGGUH sangat merisaukan jika kita mengevaluasi konsep drainase yang diterapkan di seluruh pelosok Tanah Air saat ini. Konsep yang dipakai adalah konsep drainase konvensional, yaitu drainase "pengatusan kawasan". Drainase konvensional adalah upaya membuang atau mengalirkan air kelebihan secepat-cepatnya ke sungai terdekat. Konsep ini sejak tahun 1970-an sampai sekarang hampir tidak berubah dan terus diajarkan di seluruh perguruan tinggi di Indonesia dan sebagai konsep dasar yang digunakan para praktisi dalam pembuatan Masterplan Drainase di seluruh kota besar dan kecil di Indonesia.

DALAM konsep drainase konvensional, seluruh air hujan yang jatuh ke di suatu wilayah harus secepat-cepatnya dibuang ke sungai dan seterusnya mengalir ke laut. Jika hal ini dilakukan pada semua kawasan, akan memunculkan berbagai masalah, baik di daerah hulu, tengah, maupun hilir.

Dan ternyata, bahwa konsep drainase konvensional ini di Indonesia tidak hanya dipakai untuk men-drain areal permukiman, namun digunakan secara menyeluruh termasuk untuk men-drain kawasan pedesaan, lahan pertanian dan perkebunan, kawasan olahraga, wisata, dan lain sebagainya.

Drainase konvensional untuk permukiman atau perkotaan dibuat dengan cara membuat saluran-saluran lurus terpendek menuju sungai guna mengatuskan kawasan tersebut secepatnya.

Seluruh air hujan diupayakan sesegera mungkin mengalir langsung ke sungai terdekat. Pada areal pertanian dan perkebunan biasanya dibangun saluran drainase air hujan menyusuri lembah memotong garis kontur dengan kemiringan terjal. Pada saat hujan, saluran drainase ini berfungsi mengatuskan kawasan pertanian dan perkebunan dan langsung dialirkan ke sungai.

Demikian juga di areal wisata dan olahraga, semua saluran drainase didesain sedemikian rupa sehingga air mengalir secepatnya ke sungai terdekat. Orang sama sekali tidak berpikir apa yang akan terjadi di bagian hilir, jika semua air hujan dialirkan secepat-cepatnya ke sungai tanpa diupayakan agar air mempunyai waktu cukup untuk meresap ke dalam tanah (lihat Gambar A, kesalahan drainase konvensional).

Dampak dari pemakaian konsep drainase konvensional tersebut dapat kita lihat sekarang ini, yaitu kekeringan yang terjadi di mana-mana, juga banjir, longsor, dan pelumpuran.

Termasuk juga surutnya sungai-sungai di luar Jawa saat ini, hingga menyebabkan transportasi sungai sangat selalu terganggu. Tentu saja ada sebab-sebab selain drainase, misalnya, penggundulan hutan, namun kesalahan konsep drainase yang kita pakai sekarang ini merupakan penyumbang bencana kekeringan, banjir, dan longsor yang cukup signifikan.

Kesalahan konsep drainase konvensional yang paling pokok adalah filosofi membuang air genangan secepat-cepatnya ke sungai. Dengan demikian, sungai-sungai akan menerima beban yang melampaui kapasitasnya, sehingga meluap atau terjadi banjir, contoh, banjir-banjir di Jakarta, Semarang, Bandung, Riau, Samarinda, dan lain-lain. Demikian juga mengalirkan air secepatnya berarti pengatusan kawasan atau menurunkan kesempatan bagi air untuk meresap ke dalam tanah.

Dengan demikian, cadangan air tanah akan berkurang, kekeringan di musim kemarau akan terjadi. Dalam konteks inilah pemahaman bahwa banjir dan kekeringan merupakan dua fenomena yang saling memperparah secara susul-menyusul dapat dengan mudah dimengerti.

Sangat ironis bahwa semakin baik drainase konvensional di suatu kawasan aliran sungai, maka kejadian banjir di musim hujan dan kekeringan di musim kemarau akan semakin intensif silih berganti.

Dampak selanjutnya adalah kerusakan ekosistem, perubahan iklim mikro dan makro disertai tanah longsor di berbagai tempat yang disebabkan oleh fluktuasi kandungan air tanah musim kering dan musim basah yang sangat tinggi.

JIKA kesalahan konsep dan implementasi drainase yang selama ini kita lakukan ini tidak diadakan revisi, usaha apa pun yang kita lakukan untuk menanggulangi banjir, kekeringan lahan, dan longsor, akan sia-sia.

Dalam tulisan ini akan diketengahkan konsep drainase baru yang biasa disebut drainase ramah lingkungan atau ekodrainase yang sekarang ini sedang menjadi konsep utama di dunia internasional dan merupakan implementasi pemahaman baru konsep ekohidraulik dalam bidang drainase.

Drainase ramah lingkungan didefinisikan sebagai upaya mengelola air kelebihan dengan cara sebesar-besarnya diresapkan ke dalam tanah secara alamiah atau mengalirkan ke sungai dengan tanpa melampaui kapasitas sungai sebelumnya.

Dalam drainase ramah lingkungan, justru air kelebihan pada musim hujan harus dikelola sedemikian sehingga tidak mengalir secepatnya ke sungai. Namun diusahakan meresap ke dalam tanah, guna meningkatkan kandungan air tanah untuk cadangan pada musim kemarau. Konsep ini sifatnya mutlak di daerah beriklim tropis dengan perbedaan musim hujan dan kemarau yang ekstrem seperti di Indonesia.

Berikut ini diketengahkan beberapa metode drainase ramah lingkungan yang dapat dipakai di Indonesia, di antaranya adalah metode kolam konservasi, metode sumur resapan, metode river side polder, dan metode pengembangan ereal perlindungan air tanah (ground water protection area).

Metode kolam konservasi (lihat Gambar B) dilakukan dengan membuat kolam-kolam air, baik di perkotaan, permukiman, pertanian, atau perkebunan. Kolam konservasi ini dibuat untuk menampung air hujan terlebih dahulu, diresapkan dan sisanya dapat dialirkan ke sungai secara perlahan-lahan.

Kolam konservasi dapat dibuat dengan memanfaatkan daerah-daerah dengan topografi rendah, daerah-daerah bekas galian pasir atau galian material lainnya, atau secara ekstra dibuat dengan menggali suatu areal atau bagian tertentu.

Kolam konservasi juga sangat menguntungkan jika dikaitkan dengan kebutuhan rekreasi masyarakat. Misalnya pada pembangunan real estat, pemerintah dapat mewajibkan pengelola real estat untuk membangun kolam konservasi air hujan di lokasi perumahan, sekaligus ditata sebagai areal rekreasi bagi masyarakat perumahan.

Di samping itu, kolam konservasi dapat dikembangkan menjadi bak-bak permanen air hujan, khususnya di daerah-daerah dengan intensitas hujan yang rendah. Kota-kota dan kawasan luar kota di Indonesia perlu segera membangun kolam-kolam konservasi air hujan ini. Sangat disayangkan, bahwa perkembangan yang ada di Indonesia sekarang ini justru masyarakat dan pemerintah berlomba mempersempit atau bahkan menutup kolam konservasi alamiah yang ada (rawa, situ, danau kecil, telaga, dan lain-lain). Banyak kolam-kolam konservasi alamiah dalam sepuluh tahun terakhir ini hilang dan berubah fungsi menjadi areal permukiman, contohnya di Jakarta, Bandung, dan lain-lain.

Untuk areal pertanian dan perkebunan sudah mendesak, untuk segera direncanakan dan dibuat parit-parit (kolam) konservasi air hujan. Parit ini sangat penting untuk cadangan air musim kemarau sekaligus meningkatkan konservasi air hujan di daerah hulu, serta meningkatkan daya dukung ekologi daerah setempat. Konstruksi parit cukup sederhana, berupa galian tanah memanjang atau membujur di beberapa tempat tanpa pasangan. Pada parit tersebut sekaligus bisa dijadikan tempat budidaya ikan dan lain-lain.

Metode sumur resapan merupakan metode praktis dengan cara membuat sumur-sumur untuk mengalirkan air hujan yang jatuh pada atap perumahan atau kawasan tertentu (Dr Sunjoto, UGM). Sumur resapan ini juga dapat dikembangkan pada areal olahraga dan wisata. Konstruksi dan kedalaman sumur resapan disesuaikan dengan kondisi lapisan tanah setempat. Perlu dicatat bahwa sumur resapan ini hanya dikhususkan untuk air hujan, sehingga masyarakat harus mendapatkan pemahaman mendetail untuk tidak memasukkan air limbah rumah tangganya ke sumur resapan tersebut.

METODE river side polder (lihat Gambar C) adalah metode menahan aliran air dengan mengelola/menahan air kelebihan (hujan) di sepanjang bantaran sungai. Pembuatan polder pinggir sungai ini dilakukan dengan memperlebar bantaran sungai di berbagai tempat secara selektif di sepanjang sungai.

Lokasi polder perlu dicari, sejauh mungkin polder yang dikembangkan mendekati kondisi alamiah, dalam arti bukan polder dengan pintu-pintu hidraulik teknis dan tanggul-tanggul lingkar hidraulis yang mahal. Pada saat muka air naik (banjir), sebagian air akan mengalir ke polder dan akan keluar jika banjir reda, sehingga banjir di bagian hilir dapat dikurangi dan konservasi air terjaga.

Upaya ini sedang dilakukan di Jepang dan Jerman secara besar-besaran, sebagai upaya menahan air untuk konservasi sungai musim kemarau dan menghindari banjir serta meningkatkan daya dukung ekologi wilayah keairan. Metode ini dapat diusulkan untuk mengurangi banjir di kota-kota besar yang terletak di hilir sungai seperti Kota Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan Samarinda, dan lain-lain. Demikian juga dapat meningkatkan pasokan air sungai musim kemarau untuk mendukung transportasi sungai atau pertanian.

Metode areal perlindungan air tanah dilakukan dengan cara menetapkan kawasan lindung untuk air tanah, di mana di kawasan tersebut tidak boleh dibangun bangunan apa pun. Areal tersebut dikhususkan untuk meresapkan air hujan ke dalam tanah.

Di berbagai kawasan perlu sesegara mungkin dicari tempat-tempat yang cocok secara geologi dan ekologi sebagai areal untuk recharge dan perlindungan air tanah sekaligus sebagai bagian penting dari komponen drainase kawasan.

Konsep drainase ramah lingkungan atau ekodrainase ini perlu mendapat perhatian yang serius dari pemerintah. Kesalahan pemahaman masyarakat, dinas terkait, dan perguruan tinggi tentang filosofi konsep drainase, yaitu membuang air secepat-cepatnya ke sungai, perlu segera direvisi dan diluruskan secara serius. Perlu pembenahan dan revisi bangunan drainase permukiman, tempat olahraga dan rekreasi, pertanian dan perkebunan dengan konsep drainase ramah lingkungan. Tampaknya perlu studi khusus untuk menemukan kembali konsep drainase ramah lingkungan.

Penulis: Dr Ing Ir Agus Maryono, Peneliti Pusat Studi Transportasi dan Logistik UGM

URL Source: http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/0309/26/opini/584210.htm

Keterangan Artikel
Sumber: Kompas
Tanggal: 26 Sep 03
Catatan: -

Conserving A Paradise

By RASHVINJEET S.BE
thestar.com.my


WHEN a group of foreign environmentalists chanced upon a mother-and-son team preparing to barbecue a turtle for dinner on the beach in a village on the Island of Papua, they negotiated to buy the turtle from the locals.

When a group of foreign environmentalists chanced upon a mother-and-son team preparing to barbecue a turtle for dinner on the beach in a village on the Island of Papua, they negotiated to buy the turtle from the locals.

Once they paid for the turtle, they released it back to the sea. The mother and son then went off to look for a substitute meal, but not before being “counselled” about why their eating habit was bad for the ecological system.

Turtle flesh has always been viewed as a traditional source of meat in certain parts of the Bird’s Head Seascape, a region rich in marine species. It is a must-have, especially at religious festivals and feasts.

Picture perfect: The Bird’s Head Seascape, a hotspot for marine life with more than 1,300 species of fish recorded in the area.
But thanks to a campaign by environmental group Conservation International (CI) to educate the locals on the importance of preserving the turtles, many of them have not only given up turtle meat, they have also sold off their turtle-hunting spears – to the environmentalists.

“They are on board the idea of not eating turtle meat. The main issue is now finding an alternative source of meat,” says Dr Mark Erdmann, marine biologist and senior adviser to Conservation International’s Indonesian Marine Programme.

In Christian villages, pork is an alternative while fish and deer are the substitute meat in Muslim villages.

Erdmann, 39, has been based in Indonesia for the past 17 years. Most recently, he has been based at the Bird’s Head Seascape for research work. The region, named for its distinctive shape of the northwest corner of the Island of Papua, Indonesia, covers up to 18.3 million hectares of islands and reefs and is home to more than 150,000 people.

Surveys by CI since 2001 have recorded 1,302 species of fish and more than 600 species of hard coral. Take into account the whales, sea turtles, crocodiles, dugongs and many other species and you have what is believed to be the most bio-diversity rich region in marine life.

At a single site near Triton Bay, CI found more than 335 species of coral reef fish, a world record. The diversity in a small area like that is more than 10 times the diversity found in the entire Caribbean Sea.

The species were discovered and studied by Erdmann and Dr Gerry Allen, one of the world’s foremost experts on marine biology.

“We believe it is the epicentre of marine diversity. There are still more species to be found although we expect to find fewer from now on,” says Erdmann in a phone interview.

Erdmann applauds the idea of the auction, saying that the potentially significant funding would come in handy.
During a survey in September last year, 52 new species, including a shark that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying mantis, were found.

To further support conservation efforts in this region, an auction will be held at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco next Thursday. The “Blue Auction” (www.theblueauction.com) offers individuals, companies and organisations the chance to bid for the privilege of having their name or a name of their choice attributed to 10 of the newly discovered marine life species.

This inaugural auction is to enlist the help of participants from all over the world in a conservation exercise that is jointly organised by CI, the Monaco-Asia Society and London auction house Christie’s.

Erdmann applauds the idea of the auction, adding that the potentially significant funding would come in handy.

“The fact that it is the most bio-diverse area in the world alone makes conservation important. This region is also important to replenish the other parts of Indonesia, some of which are in pretty bad shape,” says Erdmann.

It is this biodiversity which has made the region of Raja Ampat (similar to the Sipadan Islands in Sabah) in the Seascape one of the “hottest” new diving destinations in the world, according to Erdmann.

While tourist dollars contribute to the economy, the sea is just as important to the locals who depend on sustainable traditional fishing techniques to feed themselves.

Going around in small canoes, they fish using hand lines and spears. These activities do not really impact the environment as such. However, things are not all that rosy as the Seascape grapples with several problems, especially illegal fishing. As is in many other parts of the region, blast fishing and cyanide fishing are two big threats.

Bomb fishing is a process using homemade bombs or other explosives to stun or kill schools of fish for easy collection. Cyanide fishing, meanwhile, uses the chemical compound sodium cyanide to stun the fish.

“It is vital that these illegal activities are stopped,” says Erdmann, who adds that illegal mining and logging on the islands is creating toxic run-off, threatening the reefs.

To combat this problem of illegal fishing, the Indonesian government has set up a joint patrol system comprising the police, fisheries and local community members.

The efforts of the various stakeholders have also seen the implementation of a network of marine reserves within the seascape totalling 30,000 square kilometres.

“Our main aim is to facilitate the local government in Papua so that there is a proper management system for reefs and rainforests in the area,” says Erdmann.

About Our Ocean

As a Tourist or Diver:

- How You Can Help
- What You Can Do

Be responsible!

• The money you spend on your holiday helps determine the development and direction of tourism. Use your money to support reputable, conservation-minded tour operators and suppliers.

• Stay in locally owned hotels, support local businesses, and hire local guides and services. By supporting the local economy, you will help local communities to protect their environment.
  
• Support environmentally-friendly businesses. Ask before you buy: is the business supporting the local marine environment? Let them know you are informed and care about coral reefs and other marine habitats.
  
• In restaurants, don't buy live reef fish
  
• Respect all local guidelines, recommendations, regulations, and customs.
  
• Ask local authorities or your dive shop how to protect coral reefs, seagrass meadows, beaches, and other marine habitats.
  
• Don't put rubbish or human waste in rivers or the sea.
  
• Don't leave waste on the beach.
  
• Don't buy products made from any endangered species, including tortoise-shell or coral - they could be illegal.
  
• Don't collect shells, corals, or other natural items.
  
• If you find yourself in a boat, make sure it doesn’t anchor on a reef.
  
• If you dive or snorkel, don't touch reefs or marine animals! Keep yourself and your scuba gear off coral reefs. And try to stay off the bottom: stirred-up sediment can settle on coral and smother it.
  
• If you go whale watching, or watching other marine mammals and birds, ensure the tour operator stays a respectable distance from the animals. And never touch!
  
• Take a look at EarthDive - a global project for millions of divers, snorkellers, and ordinary citizens to preserve the health and diversity of our oceans.
  
• Volunteer for a coral reef or beach cleanup for your holiday.
  
• Support a local conservation organization at your holiday destination. Even the smallest donations can make a big difference.
  

As a Seafood Lover:

Whether it is sushi, swordfish steak, paella or fish and chips, many of us love seafood.

The trouble is, our oceans are being seriously over fished. So much so, that unless action is taken some of our favourite fish may disappear from the seafood counter and restaurant table altogether.

But it is not just our supper that's at stake. Unsustainable fishing is decimating the world's fisheries, as well as destroying marine habitats and incidentally killing billions of fish and other marine animals each year.

But you can help change this.

Consumer demand for sustainable seafood can act as an extremely powerful incentive for better fisheries management.

If you buy, or ask for, seafood that comes from sustainable sources you are helping to protect our marine environment and, at the same time, ensuring that seafood can be enjoyed for many years to come.

Say Yes to sustainable seafood: Pledge to buy MSC!

In supermarkets, look for seafood products with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel; or alternatively, go to supermarkets that stock MSC-certified seafood.

Ask your supermarket, fish store, or favourite restaurant to stock MSC-certified fish.

Check out the WWF seafood guides...

At WWF-Indonesia we believe that it is possible to have fish on the menu in homes and restaurants while ensuring healthy fish populations in a healthy environment. If you make careful choices when enjoying your seafood while learning more about how fisheries should be managed we all contribute to ensuring healthy oceans for the future.

Indonesian seafood products are under threats as coastal and reef fisheries are putting too high pressure on the fish populations and fish environment.

Did you know that:

• Lobster grows and matures very slowly. Lobster is very easy to catch and so lobster in the wild are getting very rare.
• Lobster is sometimes caught with poison. The poison kills the reef and its other inhabitants.
• Sharks fins are obtained from sharks that are often caught in nets or on long-lines where also dolphins, turtles, birds and other marine life falls prey.
• Shark meat is often discarded after the fins are cut off.
• Sharks grow and mature very slowly. Shark populations have gone down dramatically in the past 10 years.
• Baby sharks are getting rare as their adults are being over-fished. Baby sharks could restore the dwindling shark population when they are left to live and grow.
• Prawns are caught with trawlers that destroy the near shore ocean bottom ecosystem. By-catch often includes turtles and other marine mammals.
• Prawns are also farmed in ponds for which mangrove forests were cut down. Without the mangrove tress, coastlines erode and natural fish nursery areas disappear.
• Grouper is often caught with poison that kills the reef.
• Grouper grows and matures slowly. Groupers are also important in balancing the reef fish community.
• Reef fish are often caught with explosives. Many snappers, rabbitfish, groupers, fusiliers, triggerfish and surgeonfish are typical blast fishing catches. The explosive kills the reef for many decades, and the reef sometimes does not regenerate at all.
• Pelagic fish such as mackerel, tuna and trevally make great dishes and are simply prepared.
• A combination of too much fishing pressure and destructive capture techniques have caused reef and inshore fish stocks to collapse in many areas in Indonesia. What does that have to do with you? Not all areas in Indonesia represent gloom and doom. By making a careful selection when you wish to enjoy seafood, you can help to make things better.

Now you know, now you can act!

You can download and use the guide when selecting your meal. Whenever possible please ask for seafood from the green list. They present a wide variety of healthy and nutricious food.

Please be careful and aware when you select seafood from the yellow list. These products are often not produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

Please refrain from ordering seafood from the red list. These products are in serious decline in the wild or cause large and unwanted by-catch of other endangered or protected species.

Codes: 1=legally protected species; 2=low fecundity and extreme vulnerability to over-fishing; 3=capture techniques extremely habitat destructive;4=health hazard due to ciguatera or metal bioaccumulation.

This list is not complete and final. Items may shift from one category to another at some time. New updates and some great seafood recipes will be regularly published at the WWF website: www.wwf.or.id or www.panda.org

World's Smallest Fish In Sumatra

Scientists Discover World's Smallest Fish In Sumatra


When talking about fish, size is the most important thing. The bigger the fish, the better the tale the fisherman will tell for years to come. But scientists are a peculiar type of fishermen, as they’ve discovered the world's smallest fish in a tropical acidic swamp where the water is the color of strong tea. Females grow no bigger than 7.9mm (0.31in) and the male measures up to 10.3mm.

Scientists had thought that little if anything could survive in such peat swamps but have been astonished to discover several species of small fish including the latest specimen, named Paedocypris progenetica. A Swiss biologist, Maurice Kottelat, and Tan Heok Hui from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research in Singapore, discovered the fish by sieving the water of the Sumatran swamps with a fine-mesh fishing net.

They sent specimens of the fish to the Natural History Museum in London where Ralf Britz, a zoologist and fish expert, identified it as a species new to science.

Dr Britz said that it was a member of the carp family. The males were distinguished by having a pair of large pelvic fins which were manipulated by well-developed muscles. "This is one of the strangest fish that I've seen in my whole career. It's tiny, it lives in acid and it has these bizarre grasping fins," Dr Britz said. The peat swamps on Sumatra were extensively damaged in 1997 by forest fires and are threatened by logging, the growth of towns and agriculture. Several populations of the tiny fish have already been lost, he said.

"I hope we'll have time to find out more about them before their habitat disappears completely," Dr Britz said.

The forest swamps of Indonesia were once thought to harbour very few animals but recent research shows that they have a rich and diverse range of wildlife that appears to be unique to this habitat. "These forest swamps harbour an unusually large number of species. The water is poor in minerals and this may restrain bone growth leading to the adaptation of being small," Dr Britz said. Adult Paedocypris fish are transparent and resemble juvenile larval fish despite being sexually mature, with males sporting the well-endowed pelvic fins.

Unique among fish, males of the species have pelvic fins with tough pads on the front, which may help to hang on to females during mating, the researchers propose.

Paedocypris has many "larval" features, such as a rudimentary skull that leaves the brain exposed. Evolutionary pressures may have prompted the fish to develop special fins to survive its environment, the team reports.

The "tiny and bizarre" fish is also the smallest known freshwater vertebrate, the team said.

When Fishing Turns Deadly

from: Enviromental Justice Foundation
http://www.ejfoundation.org



EJF has just returned from North Sumatra in Indonesia, where we have been training the Indonesian NGO JALA. This group is working and campaigning with traditional fisherfolk to end the impacts on fishing communities and marine biodiversity from illegal trawlers. Supposedly banned in Indonesia since 1980, trawling is wiping out local fish stocks and with them the livelihoods of traditional fishermen. Unfortunately, the Indonesian Government has consistently failed to enforce its own laws, and anger and frustration on the part of local fishing communities over their decrease in income and this lack of government action has resulted in an ongoing and tragic conflict.

Clashes between traditional fishermen and trawlers have led to injury and loss of life on both sides; many fishermen have been injured, disappeared or died. In fact, JALA estimates that this terrible conflict has resulted in over 200 casualties in North Sumatra over the last 15 years. The most recent deadly episode occurred in February and tragically led to both kidnapping and loss of life.

“They brought my husband home in a coffin, and told me he had been killed by trawlers. I only saw photos of his body, he’d been stabbed all over…” - Local fisherman’s widow

“The harsh reality of what we were seeing in Sumatra was beyond belief. Literally thousands of fisherfolk and their families are being driven further and further into poverty, while the trawlers simply carry on their illegal fishing with impunity. At one point during a field investigation we could see 68 trawlers around the traditional fishing craft we were in, all of which dwarfed our vessel, and all of which were inside the demarked fishing zone upon which the local fishermen rely. Perhaps most tragic of all is that every single one of the traditional fishermen I spoke to knows someone who has been injured or killed in the conflict.” - Duncan Copeland, EJF Campaigner

With support from EJF, JALA is promoting peaceful solutions to the conflict, and is working to expose the awful consequences of the illegal trawling activities. Further film and editing training from the EJF team has contributed to the production of JALA’s first documentary "Stop Trawling", highlighting both the environmental and social impacts of trawlers. This trip we also worked with JALA to further develop the NGO’s research and campaign expertise, and the production of a report on illegal trawling in Sumatra.

Indonesia

from Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program



Indonesia's 17,000 islands make up by far the largest and most varied archipelago on Earth and span over 5000 equatorial kilometres between Asia and Australia. Its total coastline extends over 80.000 km - close to one third of the Earth's circumreference at the equator! So it is with good reason that Indonesians think of their country as 'Tanah air kita' - Our land and water.

The Indonesian Archipelago consists of some of the largest islands in the world which rise up from deep oceanic trenches. Some contain dense jungle slopes and huge mountains - capped with ice and snow, despite their tropical coastlines!
Indonesian islands names conjure up images of exotic and unknown South East Asia destinations: Bali, Borneo and Komodo; Lombok and New Guinea; the Spice Islands of Halmahera, Sumatra and Sulawesi, also formerly known as Celebes. From freezing glaciers to coral reefs, the sheer diversity of island scenes and life defies the imagination.

"Some Indonesian islands contain dense jungle slopes and huge mountains - capped with ice and snow, despite their tropical coastlines!"

The enormous number of Indonesia's islands and their location in a tropical, equatorial climate has produced an unrivalled diversity of plant and animal life. With only 1% of the world's land area, Indonesia is home to over 10% of all mammal species, and 17 % of all birds. Indonesia is over 80% water. For marine creatures it is a vast melting pot, at the influence of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The mingling of life from these two great oceans around thousands of islands has created the greatest diversity of marine life on Earth.

The ocean currents here are rich in nutrients. They're responsible for the world's most colourful and diverse coral reefs. So vast is the archipelago that some of the best reefs are barely known. There are over 500 species of coral, and 3000 species of fish as well as 30 species of whales and dolphins. The Sulawesi Sea is a highway for sperm whales, oceanic dolphins and other large marine life such as sea turtles and manta rays.


"For marine creatures Indonesia is a vast melting pot, at the influence of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans"

Indonesia is also the world's fourth largest country and home to a population of 195 million people - mainly moderate Muslim with substantial Christian, Hindu and Buddist minorities. Indigenous tribes still exist in the remote reaches of Indonesia, from Kalimantan to Irian Jaya. (Map of Reseach Areas).

This expanding population is largely dependent of the ocean's health for its own well being. The combination of huge population pressures on rich, productive marine resources illustates the need and urgency for sustainable, minimum impact practices amonst all nature-based industries operating in Indonesia.

Rare Marine Life, Remote Locations

from Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program



A large proportion of the Indonesian species of whales and dolphin we see are considered rare in other parts of the world. Some are listed as endangered species. Orcas, pygmy and dwarf sperm whales, pilot and melon-headed whales, false and pygmy killer whales, Bryde's and minke whales, Risso's, Fraser's, rough-toothed, spotted and spinner dolphins, as well as pelagics such as tuna and marlin are all part of the living Sulawesi Sea.

Sperm whales and the majority of other oceanic cetaceans frequenting the area are highly specialised, deep-diving oceanic predators. In fact, if we like to consider ourselves divers because we occassionally submerge, then these creatures should be categorised as ' surfacers', as they occassionally surface!

Sperm whales, for example, spend about 10 minutes out of every hour on the surface. This means there are only around a dozen short surface intervals for each individual whale during daylight hours...

To be at the right place at the right time is one of the most difficult, yet essential necessities for a successful oceanic cetacean research program. Sophisticated hydrophones and other acoustic equipment, constant visual surveying and lots of experience is required to have close encounters while causing minimal disturbance.

Our research methods are scientifically designed to ensure minimal disturbance to cetaceans, yet it allows for discrete approaches to obtain positive photographic identifications of individual whales and dolphins.

APEX has been photographically studying cetaceans in Indonesian waters for numerous years now. As a result, we have an intimate knowledge of the whereabouts and biological hotspots frequented by these rare and spectacular marine mammals.

This information is then combined with preferred camera positions and anticipated whale behaviours to create ample and superb opportunities to film and photograph these animals in their natural habitat. In addition, North Sulawesi and the islands of the Sangihe-Talaud Archipelago are considered one of the most scenic in Indonesia.

Our Oceanic Cetacean Film & Photographic Expeditions are of the highest standards, designed for discerning environmental media professionals.

The expedition vessel is a stable platform, well equipped and sea worthy 15m sailing yacht. Expeditions are based in Manado, North Sulawesi and easily accessable with directl flights from Singapore, Phillipines, Bali, Java and other Indonesian islands. Expeditions to other IOCP research areas such as Komodo National Park and Nusa Tengara are possible.

The Amazing Celebes Sea

from Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program



The warm, clear waters off northern Sulawesi, previously known as Celebes, are an exceptionally rich marine life hot spot. Strong oceanic currents, deep sea trenches and sea mounts, combined with active volcanic islands result in complex oceanographic features and an impressive array of rare marine life.

The Celebes Sea is located in the centre of a special oceanic realm of maximum marine diversity. It is home to a great abundance of whales and dolphins, sea-turtles, manta rays, marlin and other pelagics. In addition, some of the most bio-diverse coral reefs in the world can be found here, with over 2500 fish species and close to 500 coral varieties identified to date.

The Oceanic Cetacean Film & Photographic Expeditions have access to this pristine and remote region of Indonesia. It enables adventurous naturalists and multi-media professionals to experience an exceptional marine wilderness, with all creature comforts and equipment maintenance and charging facilities on board.

The Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program (IOCP) research expertise and findings have been crucial to numerous international film makers and photographers interested in producing cetacean natural history and environmental documentaries.

"The expedition will focus on numerous rare whales and dolphin species and explores some of the most beautifully remote islands Indonesia has to offer"
Our on-going studies on northern Sulawesi's sperm whales and oceanic dolphins has resulted in an intimate knowledge of the whereabouts and ecology of these rare cetaceans.

It is not unusual to have encounters with oceanic cetaceans such as sperm whales in the morning, and have a snorkel or dive on a brilliant coral reef drop-off in the afternoon! We certainly don't know of any other location world-wide where this can be done.... In fact, during our previous research season we encountered over 15 different whale and dolphin species in Northern Sulawesi alone, totalling an estimated 1500 individual animals...

One of the main goals of our research is to find out why such a great diversity of whales and dolphins exists here. The IOCP also contributes to biological oceanography research on apex marine predators conducted in other parts of the world.

During the expedition, you are likely to come eye to eye with sperm whales - the most formidable of deep sea predators - as well as other oceanic cetaceans, such as pilot and melon-headed whales.

These in-water encounters often result in spectacular imagery, and are truly inspiring and not easily forgotten. However, such encounters are not to be taken lightly and are carefully controlled by the expedition team to ensure both safety and maximum success.

All Expeditions include professional cetacean and coral reef ecology experts as part of the team. APEX Environmental has coordinated numerous successful oceanic cetacean field productions. Our participation with multi-media projects aims to:

1. increase the environmental awareness of this exceptional Indonesian marine region
2. harness support for effective cetacean conservation measures.
3. focus attention on the increasing environmental impacts as a result from destructive fishing practices and activities of the region's rapidly expanding nature-based and extractive resource industries.

Hot Spot

TIME, Jul. 08, 2002
By DAMASO REYES



Self-Destruction While the island of Selayar is largely unsullied by human development, the same cannot be said of its surrounding coral reefs. It only takes a quick peek below the surface of the island's tranquil waters to see the devastating consequences of unfettered local fishing practices. The sea floor off the coast, once heralded as one of Sulawesi's richest reefs, is now a barren, white wasteland of shattered coral, eerie stillness and craters the size of a child's inflatable wading pool. The effects of dynamite fishing are hard to miss.

For years, a growing number of fishermen have been using explosive devices here to stun their prey and bring it to the surface. It takes only a few hours to bomb out an area of hundreds of square meters, securing a full haul but causing irreparable damage to the live coral at the base of a reef's ecosystem. Fishermen use homemade fertilizer bombs, dynamite and even ordnance left over from World War II. The return is quick and lucrative, netting them many times over what they would make using conventional methods. But once bombed, the area is devoid of life for decades.

Environmentalists have lobbied the Indonesian government for years to police these waters more vigilantly, but to little effect. With more than 81,000 square kilometers of coastline and 17,000 islands to patrol, the Department of Fisheries faces a herculean task, and it doesn't cost much to avert the eyes of a prying inspector. Marine biologists estimate that well in excess of half of the nation's coral reefs suffer some damage from dynamiting. Environmental education programs are having some effect, but international demand and a willingness to pay top dollar for reef delicacies like the napoleon wrasse make it difficult for conservationists to get their message across. Over the past 10 years the situation has worsened. The coral reefs of Indonesia may ultimately be a tourist destination akin to the Amazon rain forests: see them while they still exist.

Ancient Fish from Jurassic era caught in North Sulawesi

© WWF-Indonesia, 2007

On Saturday, May 19 2007, a fisherman found a King of the Sea, an ancient fish biologically known as Coelacanth latemeria, in his fishing line in Malalayang Beach, North Sulawesi. It was the second fish found in North Sulawesi after the first finding in 1998 in Manado Tua Beach. The coelacanth has 130 cm length, 46 cm width and weighs 50 kg. Yustinus Lahama and his son Delfi Lahama, who found the fish are fishermen from Malalayang.

Yustinus and his son went out fishing for their family consumption. Only 5 minutes after putting his line, he felt it has hit a big thing. He withdrew the line and found a big weird looking fish with white color spots hooked in his bait. Yustinus said "The fish was calm when it was brought on board, but then it moved violently that destroyed things on the boat."

© WWF-Indonesia

He didn't know what he has found, and was about to cut and cook the fish. Fortunately Darwin Papendeng an employee at Faculty of Engineering of Sam Ratulangi University, came and prevented Yustinus from consuming it. Darwin Papendeng recognized the fish as Coelacanth, and contacted the Provincial Fisheries Agency, Tourism Agency, and mass media in North Sulawesi to inform about the discovery of coelacanth.



This event has drew attentions from the Governor of North Sulawesi, Drs. Sinyo H. Sarundajang and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fishery, Mr. Freddy Numberi who was in Manado at that moment. First, they put the coelacanth in Bahu Mall, then they moved it to a safer aquarium in City Extra Kalasey Restaurant.

"It inspired Sarundajang to make this fish as the mascot for World Ocean Conference in Manado in the year 2009," said Angelique Batuna, WWF-Indonesia Project Leader Bunaken Program.

© WWF-Indonesia

Unfortunately the coelacanth could stand only for 17 hours, and died at 1 a.m Sunday. It is now in the process of preservation.

To further observe and preserve the fish, the government will invite an icthyologist (fish expert) and will launch the results in a press conference next week.

The first known about the fabulous Coelacanth ("see-la-kanth"), that 400 million years old "living fossil" fish, swims on. Pre-dating the dinosaurs by millions of years and once thought to have gone extinct with them, 65 million years ago, the Coelacanth with its "missing link" "proto legs" was "discovered" alive and well in 1938. An adult Coelacanth can grow at least to 200 cm in length and weigh 100 kg.

© WWF-Indonesia

On December 23, 1938, Hendrik Goosen, the captain of the trawler Nerine returned to the harbour at East London after a trawl around the mouth of the Chalumna River. As he frequently did, he telephoned his friend, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, curator at East London's small museum to see if she wanted to look over the contents of the catch for anything interesting. Coelacanths live usually found at depths of 150m below sea level, in Komoro Archipelago. In 1990, a few Coelacanths were caught in Mozambique, Madagaskar, and South Africa Waters. On July 30 1998, a Coelacanth and called it raja laut was caught in a deep-water shark net by local fishers off the volcanic island of Manado Tua in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. This is about 10 000 km east of the Western Indian Ocean Coelacanth population. The fisher brought the fish to the house of American biologist Mark Erdmann who along with his wife Arnaz had seen a specimen in the outdoor markets the previous September. The local people were familiar with the or 'king of the sea'.

On January 18 1980, Coelacanths are considered to be endangered and are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). The word of Coelacanth is from Yunnan, coelia: cavity and acanthus: spine, it is a large marine lobe-finned fish. Ika Rachmatika S and friends from Biology Research Centre LIPI tell about different of morphology and genetic character both Coelacanths latimeria chalumnae from Komoro and Coelacanths latimeria menadoensis from Manado.

Different of Latimeria chalumnae (Kepulauan Komoro) and Latimeria menadoensis (Manado)
Kind of difference	Latimeria chalumnae	Latimeria menadoensis
1. morphology and genetic character	Scale of fish is blue with white pock.	Scale of fish is brown with white pock.
2. meristic character	It has many back flipper scales and less tail flipper scale.	It has less back flipper scale and many tail flipper scales.

Numerous characteristics are unique to the coelacanth among living fishes. Among them is the presence of a "rostral organ" in the snout that is part of the electro sensory system, and an intracranial joint or "hinge" in the skull that allows the anterior portion of the cranium to swing upwards, greatly enlarging the gape of the mouth. Neither of these characters exists in any other living vertebrate. Other unique anatomical features include a hollow fluid-filled "notochord" (a primitive feature in vertebrates) underlying the spinal cord and extending the length of the body.



Teresia Prahesti

From various sources

Smart Gear Competition Launched

Third Annual Smart Gear Competition Launched, $30,000 Prize for Fishing Gear That Reduces 'Bycatch'.

Source: PR Newswire
Publication Date: 02/07/2007
COPYRIGHT 2007 PR Newswire Association LLC


WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The third annual WWF International Smart Gear Competition launched today seeking new designs for fishing gear that reduces marine bycatch -- the accidental catch and related deaths of marine mammals, birds, sea turtles and non-target fish species in fishing gear. Many millions of tons of what is caught in the course of fishing are thrown back into the sea dead or dying each year.

"Our work is all about creating positive solutions to problems facing our world," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund. "Bycatch is a huge problem. It's the leading threat to many endangered marine mammals, sea turtles and sea birds. SmartGear Competition encourages innovative solutions to this threat."

The winning designer will receive a $30,000 grand prize. There will also be two $10,000 runner-up prizes. Entries will be judged on whether they are innovative, practical, cost-effective, reduce bycatch of any species and makes an important contribution to conservation. The judges include fishermen, researchers, engineers and fisheries managers from all over the world.

The competition is open to eligible entrants from any background -- including fishermen, professional gear manufacturers, teachers, students, engineers, scientists and backyard inventors. Instructions for entering the competition are available at http://www.smartgear.org/. Completed entries must be submitted by July 31, 2007.

"Bycatch is a serious threat to marine life that demands a wide-ranging, multidisciplinary response," said Bill Hogarth, director of NOAA Fisheries Service. "WWF's Smart Gear competition has been an effective way to catalyze that response by encouraging creative thinkers everywhere to share their ideas for minimizing bycatch."

Last year's winner was a New Jersey inventor who designed fishing gear that could save thousands of sharks from accidentally dying on fishing lines each year. The winner's design uses a shark's ability to detect magnetic fields as a way to protect them by placing strong magnets just above baited hooks. The design will be tested this spring and summer in advance of potential commercial use.

For official competition rules and to learn how to enter, please visit http://www.smartgear.org/. The competition begins February 7, 2007 and ends July 31, 2007. Employees, agents, current contractors, and relatives of employees of World Wildlife Fund, Inc. or any WWF National Organization are ineligible. Judges and relatives of Judges are also ineligible. The competition is void where prohibited. Odds depend on number of entries received. No purchase is necessary.

Known in the United States as World Wildlife Fund and recognized worldwide by its panda logo, WWF leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats and to conserve the diversity of life on Earth. Now in its fifth decade, WWF, the global conservation organization, works in more than 100 countries around the world. For more information on World Wildlife Fund, visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/.

The Top Ten Coral Reef Hotspots

CONSEVATION INTERNATIONAL
Press Release
Feb 14, 2002



Top 10 Coral Reef Hotspots Fact Sheet

The Top Ten Coral Reef Hotspots

WHAT IS A CORAL REEF?

Coral reefs are constructed by living plants and animals, primarily corals that surround their small anemone-like tentacles in a hard skeleton that forms much of the reef structure.

They generally occur in clear, tropical or semi-tropical seas to a depth of approximately 100 meters (328 feet). Coral reefs fringe approximately one sixth of the world's coastlines and are the biologically richest of all shallow-water marine ecosystems.

They support as many as 1 million species of animals and plants, but only a small fraction have been described. Among the best known groups are at least 5,000 species of fish, over 10,000 species of mollusk and more than 800 species of reef-building corals. Approximately 30 percent of marine fish species occur on coral reefs.

WHY ARE CORAL REEFS IMPORTANT?

The majority of the world's estimated 284,000 sq. km (110,000 sq. mi) of coral reefs-an area about the size of the U.S. state of Nevada, or half the size of France-lie within the waters of developing countries, and support the livelihoods of millions of people. They supply seafood, building materials, sources for medicinal products, and draw in much needed tourism revenue. Every year tens of millions of tourists dive or snorkel on coral reefs worldwide.

Many Caribbean countries gain most of their foreign earnings from such tourism, and fees levied on tourists support a growing number of marine parks throughout the region. In the Florida Keys alone, reef tourism has been valued at $1.6 billion per year.

Reefs also protect shorelines and communities from storms and erosion. Despite their extraordinary value, coral reefs are deeply threatened by human activities and global climate change. Worldwide, already 25 percent of coral reefs have been destroyed or badly degraded, and the prognosis for their survival is grim without a major global conservation effort.

Biodiversity is rapidly "bleeding away" in the coral reef hotspots, 10 regions exceptionally rich in marine species found nowhere else and also facing extreme threat. The coral reef hotspots are identified for the first time in a study conducted by the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International and published in Science magazine.

1. PHILIPPINES

Area & Location: Approximately 22,000 sq. km (8,494 sq.mi) in the heart South-East Asia's "coral triangle," the most biologically diverse region on Earth for coastal biodiversity that includes the nations of Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and southernmost Japan

Key Threats: Destructive fishing methods using explosives and poison, excessive fishing, pollution runoff from logging, agriculture and urban development

Illustrative Species: The Philippine imperial volute, Aulica imperialis, a snail restricted to the southern Philippines, and featured on its one centavo coin. It is intensively exploited for the ornamental shell trade.

Prognosis for Protection: The Philippines is largest and most species-rich of the coral reef hotspots, and is also a terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. While some of the remote reefs remain in relatively good condition, the Philippines coral reefs are the most highly threatened by severe pressure from people. More than 90 percent of adjacent forests have been logged. Development of many small, community-based marine reserves are showing great promise in the Philippines, but they will need to be larger and have stronger enforcement.

2. GULF OF GUINEA ISLANDS

Area & Location: Among the four islands (Annobón, Bioco, São Tomé and Príncipe) of the Gulf of Guinea, off the West African coast. The exact area of reef is unknown, but is likely to be less than 200 sq. km (77 sq. mi).

Key Threats: Coastal development, sediment pollution from logging, over-fishing, proposed coral harvesting business

Illustrative Species: The west African endemic coral genus Schizoculina. Schizoculina africana and S. fissipara are endemic to the region and are adapted to Guinean waters and very low salinities from rivers flowing into the Gulf.

Prognosis for Protection: This hotspot is adjacent to the Guinean Forests of West Africa terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. There is very little marine conservation activity at present but prospects are good for protection if action is taken soon.

3. SUNDA ISLANDS

Area & Location: 12,600 sq. km (4,865 sq. mi) of the "coral triangle," extending from the eastern tip of Sumatra in southern Indonesia, to the island of Kepulauan Tanimbar in the Timor Sea.

Key Threats: Pollution from land-based sources, intensive destructive fishing, a growing live reef fish trade

Illustrative Species: A cardinalfish, Apogon komodoensis

Prognosis for Protection: This coral reef hotspot borders the Sundaland and Wallacea terrestrial hotspots. Conservation efforts are underway, including in the Komodo Islands, which are renowned for their huge shoals of reef-associated pelagic fish. Still, pressures from human population and economic development needs are intense.

4. SOUTHERN MASCARENE ISLANDS

Area & Location: Approximately 1,000 sq. km (386 sq. mi) of reef surrounding the islands of Mauritius, La Reunion and Rodriguez in the southern Indian Ocean

Key Threats: A rapidly growing human population, pollution from intensive sugar cane production, coastal and agricultural development, and over-fishing

Illustrative Species: Mauritian Gregory damselfish, Stegastes pelicieri, restricted to waters less than 20 meters deep in Mauritius

Prognosis for Protection: This area is adjacent to the Madagascar terrestrial hotspot. Human impacts may have already led to the first extinctions, including the Mauritian green wrasse, Anampses viridis, and the Reunion angelfish, Holacanthus guezi. There is a series of small marine parks around the islands, but pollution needs to be addressed.

5. EASTERN SOUTH AFRICA

Area & Location: Less than 200 sq. km (77 sq. mi)

Key Threats: Land-based sources of pollution, fishing and tourism development

Illustrative Species: The South African butterflyfish, Chaetodon marley

Prognosis for Protection: This area has rich coral communities encrusting sandstone reefs, which are bathed by the warm Agulhas current. This hotspot lies adjacent to the Cape Floristic Province terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. A number of marine protected areas occur within this region but require greater enforcement and management strengthening.

6. NORTHERN INDIAN OCEAN

Area & Location: 10,000 sq. km (3,861 sq. mi) in the Maldives, Chagos and much of the Lakshadweep archipelagoes, as well as Sri Lanka

Key Threats: Global warming: In 1998 prolonged increases in sea surface temperatures devastated reefs, leading to upwards of 70 percent and sometimes more than 90 percent coral death across vast stretches of the hotspot. Global climate change continues to pose a threat, as do coral mining, over-fishing and ornamental fish collection.

Illustrative Species: The Colombo damselfish, Pomacentrus proteus

Prognosis for Protection: Prior to 1998, this hotspot boasted some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world. As global warming continues and sea levels rise, entire islands are at risk of disappearing in the Maldives. This hotspot is adjacent to the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. Measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change are needed to accompany initiatives to protect reefs already underway throughout the hotspot.

7. SOUTHERN JAPAN, TAIWAN AND SOUTHERN CHINA

Area & Location: Over 3,000 sq. km (1,158 sq. mi) of reefs extending from Kyushu in Japan, through Taiwan to the coast of southern China

Key Threats: Shoreline development and conversion for agriculture and aquaculture, also global climate change, sea warming, and plagues of coral-eating Crown-of-Thorns starfish

Illustrative Species: Acropora tanegashimensis, one of many corals and reef species restricted to southern Japan

Prognosis for Protection: Reefs within this hotspot support one of the world's richest accumulations of reef species found nowhere else. Symbolic of threats was a proposal in the 1980s to build a new airport runway across one of the best remaining coral reefs at Shiraho in Okinawa, Japan. The proposal was defeated after a long battle, but the runway is being built nearby. In addition, this part of the world has the greatest population and fishing pressures, especially from China. Efforts to protect reefs lag far behind development pressures. Without a rapid reversal of this position, prospects for marine life are bleak.

8. CAPE VERDE ISLANDS

Area & Location: Approximately 200 sq. km (77 sq. mi) in the mid-Atlantic off the West African coast

Key Threats: Coastal development, pollution from land clearing and agriculture, and over-fishing

Illustrative Species: Lubbock's Chromis (Chromis lubbocki)

Prognosis for Protection: While there are no true coral reefs in Cape Verde because the waters are too cool to support reef growth, there are coral-rich communities on rocky reefs in several places. Very little conservation activity at present but prospects are good for protection if action is taken soon.

9. WESTERN CARIBBEAN

Area & Location: More than 4,000 sq. km (1,544 sq. mi) of reefs from eight countries extending from the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula to Colombia

Key Threats: Epidemic diseases and coral bleaching from global warming

Illustrative Species: The splendid toadfish, Sanopus splendidus, restricted to the tourist destination of Cozumel Island off the Mexican coast

Prognosis for Protection: This hotspot borders the Mesoamerican terrestrial biodiversity hotspot. Intensive efforts are underway to protect reefs within this hotspot. Belize, for example, has committed to establishing a national network of marine protected areas. Greater effort needs to go into reducing the consequences of watershed development throughout the Caribbean to support the growing network or protected areas.

10. RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN

Area & Location: The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden hotspot extends for 2,500 km (1,553 mi) from north to south, including the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez

Key Threats: Coastal and industrial developments-including for tourism-in Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia

Illustrative Species: The duskytail damselfish, Chromis pelloura, found only in the far northern Gulf of Aqaba

Prognosis for Protection: Although large stretches of Red Sea coastline have recently been developed, biodiversity there is more secure than in other hotspots. Large areas of the western and southern shores remain undeveloped.

New Species Found off Indonesia

Sharks Among 52 New Species Found off Indonesia
by Alister Doyle
Environment Correspondent


OSLO - Scientists said on Monday they found two types of shark, exotic "flasher" fish and corals among 52 new species in seas off Indonesia, confirming the western Pacific as the richest marine habitat on earth.

They urged more protection for seas around the Bird's Head peninsula at the western end of New Guinea island from threats including mining and dynamite fishing that can smash coral reefs.

"We feel very confident that this is the epicentre of marine biodiversity" in the world, said Mark Erdmann, a US scientist at Conservation International who led two surveys this year.

The scientists found 24 new species of fish, including two types of epaulette shark, slim and spotty growing up to about 1.2 metres (4 ft) long. Among other finds were 20 new species of coral and eight previously unknown types of shrimp.

"It's especially stunning to find sharks -- these are higher level creatures, not bacteria or worms," Erdmann told Reuters. The sharks get their name from markings on their sides like epaulettes -- decorations on the shoulders of military uniforms.

The researchers also found new species of "flasher" wrasse fish. The males, which keep harems of several females, suddenly "flash" bright yellows, blues, pinks or other colours on their bodies, apparently as part of a sex ritual.

Erdmann said the region, covering about 18,000 sq km (6,950 sq miles), had a greater concentration of species than Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

He said a new type of fusilier fish, also known as yellowtail, was the only species that could be used for human food found in the two surveys, lasting a total of about six weeks.

"But there's a concern that some might become targets as aquarium fish," he said.


PROTECTED AREAS

He said Indonesia's Fisheries Ministry wanted to increase the number of marine protected areas, currently covering only 11 percent of the area around the peninsula.

"We are very concerned about the potential impact of planned commercial fisheries expansion in the region," said Paulus Boli, a State University of Papua researcher.

Threats include human migration to the little-developed region that could put pressure on the healthy reefs. Any logging or mining on the steep coastal hillsides might spur runoff of muddy sediments that can choke corals.

Erdmann said the area surveyed was the centre of a "Coral Triangle" -- between Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Around the Bird's Head peninsula there were 1,223 species of fish and 600 types of corals.

The Great Barrier Reef, covering an area 10 times bigger, has slightly more types of fish -- 1,464 species -- but just 405 species of coral. And the bigger Caribbean Sea has fewer than 1,000 species of fish and just 58 types of coral.