Indonesia Continues Initiative to Save Coral Reefs

Text of report in English by influential Indonesian newspaper The Jakarta Post English-language website on 23 September

[Report by Matheos Viktor Messakh: "Long-term donor help for coral reef villages"]

Indonesia’s Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Programme (COREMAP) is designed as a 15 year programme aimed at developing decentralised community-based resource management systems with support from the national and regional governments, enforcement authorities, the private sector, and NGOs.

COREMAP is funded by The World Bank, The Asian Development Bank, and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and implemented by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

COREMAP was launched in 1998. The first phase, from 1998 to 2001, included community-based development and community awareness. During the second phase, from 2001 to 2007, several specific support programmes were designed and implemented. Phase three, was originally planned from 2007 to 2013, to focus on institution building.

However, the programme, which was initially run by the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) has been transferred, with some revisions, to the Department of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The initiation stage was held between 1998 and 2003, the decentralisation and acceleration stage was planned for 2004 to 2009. The institutional development stage is now planned from 2010 to 2015.

The programme runs in 15 districts, including Raja Ampat and Biak in Papua, Natuna, Batam and Bintan in Riau, Selayar and Tangkep in South Sulawesi, Buton and Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi and Sikka in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Based on data from LIPI and COREMAP, coral reef distribution in Indonesia covers around 60,000 square km and most of these are in critical condition.

LIPI’s Centre for Oceanological Research and Development revealed in its latest study that 6.2 per cent of the Indonesia’s coral reefs are in excellent condition, 23.72 per cent are classed as normal, while 28.3 per cent are damaged and 41.78 per cent are severely damaged.

Originally published by The Jakarta Post website, Jakarta, in English 23 Sep 08.

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