New ADB Coral Reef Project Eyes Sustainable Management of Indonesia’s MPAs

A project by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) seeks to introduce plans for the sustainable management of Indonesia’s marine resources in key coastal areas.

ADB “Project 46421-001: Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program-Coral Triangle Initiative (COREMAP-CTI)” hopes to enable coastal communities, and the institutions that support them, to manage coral reef resources and associated ecosystems and biodiversity in a sustainable manner.

COREMAP-CTI focuses on a national plan to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) and effectively manage these MPAs.

The project is eyeing MPAs in three national and seven district areas including Bintan, Batam, Lingga, and Natuna districts in Riau province; Central Tapanuli and North Nias districts in North Sumatra province; Mentawai district in West Sumatra province; Anambas in Anambas district, Riau province; Pulau Pieh in Pariaman district, West Sumatra Province; and Gilimatra in North Lombok district, West Nusa Tenggara province.

The project also seeks to complement the government’s existing policies to address sector issues that relate to coastal and marine resource management, including policies on environment, fisheries, forestry, small islands development, marine tourism, marine transportation and mining.

The end goal is for the government to develop 20 million hectares of MPAs by 2020 and create management plans for these MPAs.

Source: Coral Triangle Knowledge Network