NEW PARADIGM OF CO-MANAGEMENT OF MPAs IN INDONESIA, LESSONS LEARNED FROM COREMAP

NEW PARADIGM OF CO-MANAGEMENT OF MPAs IN INDONESIA, LESSONS LEARNED FROM COREMAP

2nd Coral Reef Management Symposium on Coral Triangle Areas, Kendari 28-30 September 2011

Suraji¹

¹ - Head Section of Protection and Preservation Area, Directorate of Aquatic and Marine Resource  

     Conservation, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries,

 Project Operations Manager, COREMAP II, e-mail: suraji_a@yahoo.com;

 

KEYWORDS: co-management, MPAs, COREMAP, Indonesia.

ABSTRACT

Establishment and Co-management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which conducted by Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Project (COREMAP) Phase II represents a new paradigm in the process of its development from the top-down approach to bottom-up community-based. This process provides a significant contribution towards the national target of MPAs establishment in Indonesia. The management of MPAs represent the shared responsibility between the central, local government and community.

COREMAP program in Indonesia is an unique program because of wide geographic coverage, Nationally coordinated but decentralized in implementations, multi-stakeholder inclusion, direct quantifiable fisheries benefit, and sound financial management. The process required  the institutional strengthening communities as well as local governments that MPAs can be manage sustainably. The COREMAP’s contributions on establishing of MPAs has significant on MPAs national target.

In the processes, had faces several obstacles, for instances, the reach of agreements of MPAs delineation have been taking time, due to stakeholders which lack of understanding on marine conservation. The process of establishing marine protected areas initiated by village level has legalized by village regulations on enacting of no-take zones. There are five steps of communities-based process of no take areas establishment. There are introducing and socialization program in 1-6 month, to develop communities capacity in 2-4 month, conducting public consultations 3-6 month, crating village regulation and approval 3-6 month, and implementing no-take areas management in 6-18 month. The networks of village level MPAs also functioning as no take area of District MPA that managed by District Government.

Nevertheless, the process of establishment of MPAs with the new paradigm approach has increased the motivation and consciousness (self-awareness) in communities to initiate in managing marine resources through sustainable manner. With a new paradigm, and in line with emerging of marine issues, that have been strengthening the local wisdoms values of marine resource utilization, as well as increasing the sense of belonging in the management of marine resources in a sustainable manner at local community level (grass-roots) and local/regional governments. Collaborative management of MPAs exemplified by COREMAP through the shared of responsibility between central and local government, providing a unique typically in the management of conservation areas in Indonesia. End of the management targeted of MPAs are sustainable fisheries and community prosperities