Posted on April, 11 2011

In this issue:

1. SPOTLIGHT: New Solutions to Improve Coral Triangle Seafood Trade
2. UPDATE: Measuring Social Impacts of Conservation in the Coral Triangle
3. UPDATE: Renewed Efforts for MPA Sustainable Financing in Indonesia
4. UPDATE: WWF Tags More Tuna in Wakatobi National Park
5. EXPERT OPINION: Heru Purnomo, Owner, Pulau Mas UD (Live Seafood Exporter)
6. SPECIES: The brain coral, giant of the reefs
    

SPOTLIGHT

New Solutions to Improve Coral Triangle Seafood Trade

At a workshop in early March, key seafood industry players collectively agreed to take on innovative solutions to improve the trade in live reef food fish in the Coral Triangle region. The workshop was co-organized by WWF and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia (MMAF) and supported by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Participants suggested creating enabling conditions for more effective fisheries data exchange between demand and supply countries; adopting and testing the International Standard for the Trade in Live Reef Food Fish; and creating a public-private Roundtable on Sustainable Live Reef Food Fish Trade for market economies.

“This workshop created an effective solutions-based platform for deeper levels of engagement among all actors in the seafood supply chain,” said Dr Geoffrey Muldoon, Live Reef Food Fish Trade Strategy Leader of the WWF Coral Triangle Programme.

The trade in live reef food fish is one of the most widespread and lucrative industries in the Coral Triangle but has also become one of the biggest threats to coastal and marine environments.

Read press release

UPDATES

Measuring Social Impacts of Conservation in the Coral Triangle

Representatives from WWF’s Asia-Pacific programmes came together in Bali in March to explore how to measure the social impacts of conservation in the Coral Triangle. The workshop was sponsored and organized by the Development Agency of the Danish Government (Danida)-funded component of the Coral Triangle Network Initiative, and WWF-Indonesia.

WWF country and national offices, and Network Initiatives in the region are seeking innovative solutions for long-term, positive impacts and sustainability of conservation outcomes. However, it has proved challenging to develop consistent and effective models to appraise the level of social impacts linked to conservation interventions. In the Coral Triangle area, monitoring efforts are carried out with a varying range of investment and results.

Workshop participants considered 2 case studies from the Coral Triangle area: Palawan in the Philippines and Solor Alor in Indonesia. They also used experiences from Indonesia (Papua) and the Asian region, especially Nepal and Pakistan, as references to help the conceptual and methodological discussion. Through this event, members of WWF’s Social Development for Conservation (SD4C) Asia Regional Network were able to share their skills and experiences in social monitoring with field staff from the Coral Triangle.

The workshop was an opportunity to recognize the increasingly engaging dynamics at regional level and propose new forms of collaboration among WWF Network Initiatives, National Offices and expert service providers in the network, like the SD4C team for more effective and equitable conservation interventions.

Renewed efforts for MPA Sustainable Financing in Indonesia

A recent gathering of marine conservation experts organized by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia and WWF-Indonesia has re-energized efforts to push sustainable financing forward for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Although Indonesia has almost 14 million hectares of MPAs, there is still a major financing gap to fill before these protected areas can meet their conservation goals.

During the workshop, which was attended by Dr Lida Pet Soede, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Leader, and Wawan Ridwan, WWF-Indonesia Marine Programme Director, a working group representing NGOs and government representatives was set up to develop a financing roadmap. This effort would possibly include the establishment of an institution to oversee the sustainable funding of MPAs in Indonesia.
 

WWF Tags More Tuna in Wakatobi National Park

The WWF Coral Triangle programme facilitated the tagging of an additional 39 tuna in Indonesia last March, as a follow-up to a tagging project begun in December 2010 with WWF-Indonesia. Unlike tagging elsewhere, the tagged tuna are large mature individuals with a couple of specimens weighing as much as 100 kg. These are probably the biggest adult yellowfin specimens ever tagged.

WWF is looking forward to satellite data from the tags to see how large tuna move horizontally and vertically in the ocean. The information collected by the tagging devices may allow for the identification of tuna spawning areas and other key information that could help protect the species at specific sites during their most vulnerable life phase.

According to Dr Jose Ingles (Coral Triangle programme Strategy Leader), who has spearheaded the project, the success of the project owes a lot to the initial training that was provided, the conducive weather and the cooperation of local fishers. Two researchers from Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Fisheries Research Institute and one from Wakatobi National Park were trained and participated in the tagging activity.

Expert Opinion

Heru Purnomo, Owner, Pulau Mas UD

How did you get started in the seafood business?

We began operating in 1996 to supply live reef fish to the Hong Kong market. However, we quickly realized that the middlemen in the supply chain were hurting us, among other things because of pricing issues. As a result, in 1998 we started cutting out the middlemen and began hiring fishers to supply us directly.

How has your business grown during the first decade of the millennium?

We developed 8 sites in central Indonesia and our operations have grown. But along with this came the realization that unless we reformed our business, we would be contributing to the destruction of the reefs and the fish populations that our business depends on.

Around 2007, I met with Dr Yvonne Sadovy from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Groupers and Wrasses Specialist Group, who helped to open my eyes to the impact of reef destruction.

What are your requirements when buying from fishers?

We only accept fish that has been caught using traditional (hook and line), non-destructive methods. For example, we can identify if a fish has been caught using cyanide and reject it. We are also very selective about the species that we buy.

For example, since 2008 we no longer ship the threatened Napoleon (humphead) wrasse. Also, since 2010 we have set a minimum size catch so that fishers do not supply us with juvenile specimens that have not yet reproduced and replenished fish populations in the wild.

How optimistic are you that the live reef food fish industry can follow your example?

It’s a tough challenge. The initial investment is high, and one needs to be idealistic. If there was a government push towards sustainability in our sector I believe this would make the transition easier.

SPECIES PROFILE

 If you have dived tropical waters and come face to face with a brain-like structure on the bottom of the sea, then you are already acquainted with the family Faviidae, or brain corals.

These important coral reef builders are found in shallow warm-water reefs and have a life span of 900 years for large specimen!

At night, brain corals extend their tentacles to catch drifting animals while they also receive nutrients provided by the algae which live within their tissues.

Find out more