On April 28, 2025, CTC in collaboration with the Coastal and Marine Resources Management Unit (CDKP GP VII), successfully conducted a joint marine surveillance and Resource Use Monitoring (RUM) activity in the Lease Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA), Maluku Province. The activity was attended by nine participants representing various institutions, including the Maluku Provincial Marine…
Coral reefs are a lifeline for nearly a billion people, providing food security, livelihoods, and coastal protection. However, the escalating frequency of marine heatwaves is causing widespread coral die-offs, threatening marine biodiversity and the communities that depend on these ecosystems. While traditional conservation strategies focus on protecting reefs with lower thermal exposure, they often fail…
On February 26, 2025, CTC joined a team consisting of the Cluster VII Branch of the Marine and Fisheries Office of Maluku Province, the Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) Team, the Kewang (customary surveillance unit), and the Pokmaswas (community surveillance group) to conduct a monthly surveillance and Resource Use Monitoring (RUM) survey in the…
The Coral Triangle Center (CTC) and Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) of Maluku Province recently wrapped up an extensive coral reef health monitoring survey in the Lease Islands MPA, conducted from October 15-25, 2024. This collaboration aimed to assess coral reef health, gather insights into marine ecosystem resilience, and address the impacts of…
From September 9-12, 2024, CTC participated in a workshop marking the closing of the Wallacea Partnership Program II, held in Manado, which was facilitated by Burung Indonesia. The event aimed to share lessons learned from each grantee’s projects. During the workshop, representatives from 43 grantee organizations had the opportunity to present their work to public…
In April, the CTC Maluku team raised two billboards on Saparua island to further encourage participation in citizen science for the Kalesang Dugong project. The billboards were placed at two locations: one near the beach right off ‘Dugong Point’ where dugong can be found nearly every afternoon, and another on a well-trafficked intersection in the…
The enactment of Mahu Village Decree no. 3 of the year 2023 on the Protection of Natural Resources (Perlindungan Sumber Daya Alam) on August 24th, 2023, catalyzes wider sustainable dugong and seagrass habitat conservation in Lease Islands MPA. This was the expressed hope of stakeholders attending the socialization of the decree during the Department of…
Since 2018, the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) and Maluku Province Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office have been monitoring marine and fisheries resource utilization in conservation areas. This activity is intended to ensure sustainability and regulatory compliance, increasing interaction between conservation area management units and resource users. Along with the Banda Island Cluster VI Service Branch,…
A recent sighting of Dugong in the Lease Islands has been a breath-taking spectacle of nature, leaving an indelible impression on those fortunate enough to witness it. However, the estimated population of Dugong in Lease Islands remains unknown. The unknown population of dugongs underscores the urgency of ongoing monitoring, emphasizing the significance of these efforts…