Bird's Head Seascape: Epicenter of Marine Biodiversity, Haven for Ecotourism

Occupying more than 225,000 square kilometers of West Papua Province, the BHS encompasses not only Raja Ampat's world-renowned reefs, but also the extraordinary undersea wilderness near Kaimana, called Triton Bay, as well as Indonesia's largest marine park, Cenderawasih Bay. Within the BHS, marine scientists have recorded a record-shattering 1756 distinct fish species, over 75 percent of the world's known hard corals and over 50 percent of the known soft corals. A network of twelve Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) keep reefs safe from commercial trawlers and destructive practices like dynamite fishing.

Beyond the MPAs, an unprecedented partnership between BHS coastal communities, local, regional and national authorities, and regional and international NGOs seek to balance the needs of the Seascape's human population while effectively protecting its rich natural resources. The BHS exemplifies the priorities of the six-nation Coral Triangle Initiative, and is being promoted as a national model for Indonesia's future marine resource management. Indeed, a movement to protect manta rays and sharks had its roots in Raja Ampat, which became the Coral Triangle's first shark and ray sanctuary. The movementspread throughout Indonesia. In 2014, the Indonesian Ministry of Fisheries declared a nation-wide manta sanctuary, the world's largest, for both species of manta rays.

October 20, 2015