8/17/2023 0 Comments Mason manta rays factsManta Ray ban will undeniably increase overall welfare if the local fishermen that originally have their life depend on it are able to find other source of income. This is caused by flawed designs with too few restrictions on fisheries causing holes in the system itself and the fact that most MPAs are far inland and with the widespread of deforestation of watersheds, it increases the run-off of sediments and nutrients inhibiting coral growth or making them overgrown with algae making them more vulnerable to ocean acidification and coral bleaching (Anonym, 2013). A study done by World Resources Institute found that out of 170 MPAs, only 3 that are rated as effective in Indonesia. As good as it sounds, the Indonesia’s MPAs are not properly enforced. If this does come true, it will be a big achievement in reaching towards the goal of protecting 30% of world’s oceans to prevent the collapse in fisheries. The Indonesia’s MPA covers about 16 million hectares and projected to increase to 20 million (about 10% of its total water) by 2020, covering a wide range of coastal and marine ecosystems. This was also supported financially by American and Australian governments as well as many multilateral donors, such as Asian Development Bank. In 2007, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia’s current president asked the leaders of other coral-triangle countries to form a join regional conservation initiative which then was agreed two years later to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Manta Ray conservation is not the first fishing ban the government announced. Sudirman Saad claimed that there would be more than 200 special policemen to guard the conservation area, mainly around the key population found in Bali, Flores and Raja Ampat, and enforce the law as well as government encouragement to local fishermen being affected by the ban to take advantage of the tourism (Mason, 2014). After the regulation was passed on 27 January, international NGOs and conservational groups are working to spread the word on how valuable a Manta Ray is alive than dead with the assistance of business people, military, water police and local officials. The problem now is how to enforce the regulation properly as there is a risk of poaching. Total annual income from Manta tourism contributes $15 million to Indonesian economy annually, while the fisheries only resulted $442 thousand (Catalyzing Change, 2014). O’Malley, Lee-Brooks and Medd (2013) stated that a Manta Ray is worth up to $1 million being alive due to its attractiveness to tourists who want to have the chance to swim alongside the gentle beast, however, it is worth only $40 to maximum $500 dead. Influenced by the result of this paper, on February 21 st, 2014, Indonesia announced that within the country, Manta Ray will be protected from fishing and export, turning Indonesia as the world’s second largest sanctuary for the species (Mason, 2014). The paper estimated that by turning Manta fisheries into Manta watching tourism, it will generate $73 million and $140 million annually for dive operators and the government respectively. In 2013, O’Malley, Lee-Brooks and Medd published an article outlining the importance conserving Manta Ray due to the fact that it is considered as unsustainable fisheries resources, meaning that Manta Ray will not be able to recover its population number when the amount is depleted. Fisheries sector helps to increase export and foreign exchange earnings provide employment opportunities to roughly 6 million people, be a source of income for fishermen and the government and also improve the nutritional standard of the nation (FAO, 2000). Fisheries accounts for 2.4% of Indonesia’s GDP where in 2004, around $1.6 billion worth of fish was exported. It is a maritime continent with 2.7 million km 2 of territorial waters and 3.1 million km 2 of EEZ. Indonesia, being an archipelagic country, consists of 17,508 islands scattered around the equator. They are considered as a place with the most diverse marine habitats globally (WWF, 2014). Those countries are home of nearly 600 different species of reef-building corals and also more than 2000 species of reef fish. Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Solomon Islands, which are located in South-east Asia, formed the coral-triangle.
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