Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Further surveys to be carried out in Indonesia’s Bird’s Head Seascape

Posted at 07:46 on 20 September, 2006 UTC

There are to be further expeditions and surveys in a coastal area off Indonesia’s Papua province described as richer in marine life than the Great Barrier Reef.

The director of Regional Marine Strategies at Conservation International, Dr Sebastian Troeng, says surveys already conducted in the Bird’s Head Seascape have uncovered previously unknown species and great marine bio-diversity.

He says a small percentage of the area is protected because it’s part of a national park but they are hoping the Indonesian government will look at creating further marine reserves.

Dr Troeng says Conservation International is aware that the livelihoods of coastal communities must be also preserved so different types of areas could be established.

He says there is a need to act because of the threats facing the seascape.

“If we look at the threats to marine bio-diversity, particularly in Papua, but also in much of the Coral Triangle, we find things like destructive fishing methods, dynamite fishing, cyanide fishing, in some cases overfishing represents a threat. There’s also threats from sedimentation resulting from logging or mining operations.”

Dr Troeng says the local and national governments have been positive in their response to the proposals.