Indonesia Sea Large Marine Ecosystem

Coastal area in Indonesia (sources: K. Azis)

THE Indonesian Seas Large Marine Ecosystem (henceforth ISLME) region covers an approximate total of 2.13 million km2 (98% in Indonesia’s territorial waters, and 2% in the territorial waters of Timor Leste). It is at the heart of the western Indo-Pacific marine biogeographical region, where species richness is greater than in any other location on earth including corals, fish, marine mammals, mangroves, seagrasses, and seamounts. ISLME is a home for mega biodiversity and fisheries.

ISLME is a hemisphere for the future life and next generation of Indonesia and Timor Leste. Many communities are highly dependent on coastal and marine industries including fisheries, aquaculture, oil and gas production, transportation, and tourism.

Fisheries contribute significantly to livelihoods, food and nutrition security, and the local economies of coastal communities in both countries. In Indonesia, the capture fisheries production in the region reached 2.9 million tons or approximately 48% of national capture fisheries production (Capture Fisheries, 2016). Timor-Leste has envisaged the National Aquaculture Development Strategy (NADS) 2013-2030 to provide up to 40% of the country’s fish production from aquaculture.

Both countries have mega biodiversity richness of ISLME and host of Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) and provide 2,500 species of marine fish, 500 species of reef corals, 13 species of seagrasses, 47 species of mangroves, 10,82% of the world’s coral reefs and 0.76% of the world’s seamounts. 

Clearly said that this is the evidence why this space is called the Large Marine Ecosystem region (LME).  Marine space area is determined as a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) scientifically on the basis of its characteristics of bathymetry, hydrography, productivity, and trophically linked population.  An LME has a minimum area of 200 thousand kilometer square including coastal areas from watersheds and the estuaries to the outer limits of the continental shelf and dominant coastal currents.  ISLME is identified as LME 38 in the global list of 66 LMEs.

5 big threats

There are 5 big threats found so far, there are IUU Fishing. The Capture Fisheries of Indonesia’s Ministry reported that the lost cost due to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing worth to US$ 20 billion per year. In Timor Leste, it is estimated that over USD 40 million per year of marine resources are being stolen from Timor- Leste by foreign vessels.

Secondly, the fishing pressure issues. Fishing pressure is increasing rapidly in the region, and several fisheries within the Indonesian area of the ISLME are at the point of significant collapses such as small and large pelagics, demersal fish (snapper, grouper), and shrimp. Destructive fishing practices such as blast and poison fishing have major impacts.

Thirdly, habitat degradation: In the last 50 years, the proportion of degraded reefs in the ISLME has increased from 10% to 50%.  Damage to coral reefs from blasting and positioning fishing. The fourth threat is pollution. The pollution in ISLME are both from land and sea-based sources. This includes sewage, mining, other industrial wastes, solid waste, marine debris (plastic).

The last one in climate change. Climate change has been clearly identified as one of the most serious threats to coastal communities in the ISLME, through sea level rise, increasing and more severe storm surges and extreme weather events, increasing and more severe coastal erosion, the intrusion of seawater, and other changes to coastal and marine habitats.

GEF/FAO Initiatives

In dealing with the threats, GEF/FAO is implementing ISLME Project to enable transboundary cooperation for sustainable management of the Indonesian seas.

The FAO-led GEF project “Enabling transboundary cooperation for sustainable management of the Indonesian Seas” is designed to strengthen regional cooperation and support the effective and sustainable management of the ISLME region.

This project will play a catalytic role in addressing transboundary concerns by assisting Indonesia and Timor- Leste to restore and sustain coastal and marine fish stocks and associated biodiversity. This will be achieved through collaborative development and subsequent implementation of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP).

ISLME project covers three key components, namely, identifying and addressing threats to the marine environment including unsustainable fisheries. Secondly, strengthening the capacity for regional and sub-regional cooperation in marine resources management and thirdly, coordination with regional information networks, monitoring of project impacts, and dissemination and exchange of information.

FAO and both countries have agreed on the project outputs. There are an agreed-upon and endorsed Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the ISLME region. Second, capacity development and support for Integrated Coastal Management through marine and coastal spatial planning at 7 pilot sites.

The third is demonstrated local action through the implementation of Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management and the Ecosystem Approach to aquaculture at 7 pilot sites and collaborative habitat enhancement activities at selected sites; and participation in regional and global (IW:LEARN) communities for sharing knowledge and experience on International Waters (IW) and the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) issues. (*)