Ecosystem based management in the Bird’s Head Seascape Indonesia: turning science into action

Abstract

Although West Papua is rich in natural resources, over 40% of people living there fall below the poverty line. Many local residents rely on coastal resources, particularly fisheries for income and food security. Although ecosystems here are relatively healthy compared to many other areas of Southeast Asia, they are no longer pristine and the fishery stocks of some areas are severely depleted. Furthermore, unsustainable exploi- tation of natural resources, poor development practices, and rapid human population growth threaten these ecosystems and the local communities who depend on them. Given its high biodiversity, good habitat condition, presence of rare and threatened species, and importance to fisheries, the Bird’s Head Seascape (BHS) is a regional, national, and global priority for marine conservation. The West Papua government agencies have developed a network of 12 Marine Protected Areas (MPA) protecting over 3.6 million hectares of islands and coastal waters. These MPAs include Cendrawasih Bay National Marine Park, Abun, 7 MPAs in Raja Ampat, and a large MPA in Kaimana. Ecosystem-based management (EBM) aims to maintain healthy, productive, and resilient environments that provide humans with the ecosystem services they need today and in the future. To assist the governments of the BHS in adopting an EBM approach, three environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) [The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Conservation International (CI) Indonesia and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Indonesia] have worked with local partners since 2001 to help establish EBM and inform policy decisions related to: MPA Management, Fisheries Management, Spatial Planning, and Threatened Species Management