Bali, October 29, 2018. Today, at the fifth Our Ocean Conference, the U.S Government and the Government of Indonesia launched the “State of the Sea” publication. Presented by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in three volumes, State of the Sea is a reader-friendly publication that provides an overview of Indonesia’s marine and coastal resources. Published in both English and Indonesian languages, the State of the Sea serves as a resource for policy makers, practitioners, and the general public to learn about Indonesia’s coastal communities, marine resources, its highly diverse ocean ecosystem, and the symbiotic relationships and connections they have. The State of the Sea will also serve as living document that will be updated at the biennial Indonesia Sea Conference.
The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other agencies, and Indonesia have been working together on a wide range of programs to advance marine conservation and sustainable fisheries. USAID, through its Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced (USAID SEA) Project, improves local fisheries and marine resource management in the Fisheries Management Area 715 – the biologically diverse and productive waters that include the provinces of West Papua, Maluku, and North Maluku.
The first volume of the State of the Sea guides its readers to understand the marine and coastal environment of Indonesia, its biodiversity, its value, and threats it faces. It provides an overview of the governance and institutional frameworks for marine and coastal management as well as the various management actions being implemented nationally. Volumes 2 and 3 highlight key management efforts currently being implemented in Fisheries Management Area 715 through support from the USAID SEA Project and its on-ground impacts in this region.
In his opening remarks at the launch, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan Jr., highlighted the importance of continuous collaboration between stakeholders for improved management of marine and fisheries resources. “In collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the United States is pleased to present the “State of the Sea,” which summarizes the journey we are taking together to achieve marine sustainability in Indonesia. We hope this publication will inspire, educate, and inform, and at the same time, guide our future joint efforts to improve stewardship and management of the wealth of marine resources in Indonesia”.
Emphasizing the theme of the 5th Our Ocean Conference: “Our Ocean, Our Legacy,” the Senior Advisor for Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Aryo Hanggono, called for continued future collaboration to ensure a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous future. “Protecting the oceans and its abundant resources is not a solo project. It indeed requires multi-stakeholder collaboration. Each one of us needs to be part of conservation efforts to protect our most valuable treasures so Indonesians and the world, can benefit from them for future generations to come.”
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For more information, contact: Swiny Andina, Development Outreach and Communications Specialist, USAID/Program Office, sandina@usaid.gov and see the USAID SEA Project website: www.sea-indonesia.org
