Indonesia's maritime conservation area reaches 23.91 million hectares

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's maritime conservation areas have reached 23.91 million hectares in 201 regions, according to the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP).

"In an effort to reach the target of 23.8 million hectares of maritime conservation area in 2020, KKP has established five Regional Maritime Conservation in West Kalimantan that covered a total area of 644,674 hectares," acting Director General of Marine Spatial Management of the ministry Tb Haeru Rahayu said in a statement here on Sunday.

The maritime conservation area is expected to become a key instrument in fishery resources management and bring positive impact to the ecosystem as well as the coastal community's life, he said.

The five new regional maritime conservation areas (KKPD) are Kubu Raya and North Kayong conservation area, KKPD Randayan Island, KKPD Kubu Raya, KKPD Kendawangan, and KKPD Paloh.

The authority to manage the five conservation areas would be held by the West Kalimantan Governor.

Head of the Regional Marine and Coastal Resources Management (BPSPL) of Pontianak Getreda M Hehanussa said, the agency in 2019 worked closely with the West Kalimantan's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office in the zoning and management planning of the maritime conservation areas.

According to Hehanussa, the most important element in the zoning and management planning is identification and determination of conservation target.

"The establishment of the Maritime, Coastal and Small Islands Conservation Area in West Kalimantan is expected to improve the areas' management to reach the goals of conservation that include protection, preservation, and utilization for people's welfare in West Kalimantan and the sustainability of marine and fisheries resources," Hehanussa said.

Indonesia has targeted to establish 32,5 million hectares of maritime conservation area by 2030 or some 10 percent of the country's total maritime area.

Hehanussa said, of the total 201 areas, 88 of them have been approved by the ministry while 113 others are reserved as conservation area.