Effective Conservation and Management of Dugongs and Their Habitat is Rally Required
Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB – Bogor Agricultural University), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Republic of Indonesia (MMAF), WWF Indonesia, and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences organized the National Symposium on Dugong and Seagrass Habitat 2016. The scientific meeting on "Inisiatif Bersama untuk Pelestarian Populasi Dugong dan Habitat Lamun di Indonesia = Joint Initiative for the Conservation of Populations of Dugong and Seagrass Habitat in Indonesia" was carried out at IPB International Convention Center, Bogor, on 20-21 April 2016.
Dirjen Pengelolaan Ruang Laut KKP RI (Director General of the Sea Management), Mr. Agus Darmawan, M.Si stated that dugongs still face a number of threats on the reef and across Indonesia, thus requiring urgent attention and integrated programs for their conservation to achieve its sustainability.
Dugong and its habitat conservation efforts in Indonesia is not solely the Indonesian government’ program, but they are also supported by a number of international institutions, such as the United Nations Environment Programme – Conservation Migratory Species (UNEP-CMS) in collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MbZ) through the Program Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project (DSCP). DSCP’ work is carried out in seven countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Madagascar, Timor Leste and Vanuatu.
In addition to the conservation of dugongs, KKP RI also encourage other regions to initiate the seagrass ecosystems as a key habitat for dugongs to be a Water Conservation Area Regional (KKPD). The rate of seagrass destruction in Indonesia is alarming, which are contributing to a decline in the dugong’s fortunes. When dugong habitat is reduced, due to increased coastal development or large-scale flooding events, females respond by producing less young.
The Head of Pusat Penelitian Oseanografi – LIPI (the Oceanographic Research Center of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences), Dirhamsyah, stated that seagrass and is the most important dugong habitat in the world, and its protected habitat greatly affect the existence of dugongs. Dugong habitat should be conserved as they won’t endanger the populations of these marine mammals.
Director of WWF’s Coral Triangle, Wawan Ridwan, expressed that the lack of data and information on the distribution of dugong population by level of threat cause difficult for the managing authority to determine priority conservation action plan. Therefore, this symposium is the basis for obtaining the information needed and on the current status for future conservation efforts.
Yet, Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences of Bogor Agricultural University (FPIK IPB), Dr. Luky Adrianto, stated that the conservation program for dugong and seagrass meadows in Indonesia should be linked to the role of seagrass meadows in supporting coral reef fisheries in a sustainable manner. "That’s will be our role to play as a pioneer and initiator to campaign for a comprehensive state conservation program by involving fishermen and other stakeholders in coastal areas, especially through Seagrass-Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management," he said.
The symposium participated by various experts to recommend and plan guidelines for monitoring seagrass and dugongs. Approximately 74 (seventy four) abstracts on dugong and seagrass and related research were presented in this seminar. (Wied)
Kontak : Prof. Luky Adrianto 08111106865
