OVERVIEW

Stretching over 160 kilometers along the coast of East Kalimantan Province, the Derawan Archipelago is among the most biologically rich and intact marine ecosystems in all of Indonesia.

Tropical oceanic currents—strong Indonesian throughflows—move warm and low-salinity water from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, making for a unique, highly diverse, and dynamic marine environment.

Watch Now! War on Nature: Derawan Archipelago

Introduction to the Derawan Archipelago

In 2016, an area of 285,549 hectares was declared a marine protected area (MPA) by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia and designated as Berau MPA. It includes six of the eight coastal sub-districts in Berau Regency: Pulau Derawan, Maratua, Tabalar, Sambaliung, Batu Putih, and Biduk-Biduk.

The Derawan Archipelago is a collection of tropical islands with vibrant coral reefs, offering magnificent underwater landscapes and a critical protein supply for people across the Sulawesi Sea, which intersects with Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Despite rising tourism and the new "Blue Economy" focus, illegal fishermen continue to employ destructive fishing methods, causing catastrophic harm to the environment and endangering future generations.

In the tourism sector, due to disorganized coastal and spatial planning, one of the archipelago's favorite tourist destinations—Derawan Island—is contending with poor spatial planning, overbuilding, pollution, and erosion, all on a postage stamp-size island with a highly capable, long-standing community. In addition to illegal fishing, the other islands contend with turtle harvesting, unplanned development, and resulting pollution.

Maratua Island, one of Global Conservation’s focus areas, not only faces illegal fishing but also annual plastic islands washing onto its shores from the Philippines, Malaysia, and as far away as China.

Global Conservation launched Global Park Defense and Community Marine Protection in 2023 with a full-time Project Director, Dadang Mujiono, who's done amazing work galvanizing the key marine stakeholders in the Derawan Archipelago and kicking off SMART patrolling and inter-agency coordination with community leaders.

GC's mission in the Derawan Archipelago commenced with the arrival of the board of directors on Maratua Island in September 2023.

Primary Objectives

• Increase patrolling and effectiveness of existing Marine Enforcement teams, creating new ones where needed. 

• Community Protection integrates community leaders into Marine Enforcement teams led by the Berau Regency Government, who collaborate with the Sea and Air Police, the Navy, and community patrols.

• Deploy Marine Monitor (M2) radar for 24/7 surveillance combined with Rapid Response Teams across five main islands.

• Help resolve key environmental Issues – plastics and solid waste, spatial planning, water pollution, tourism management affecting biodiversity and the “Blue Economy.”

One of the Most Critical Marine Sanctuaries in the Coral Triangle

Derawan Archipelago was designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) containing more than 500 different species of corals, the second highest level of hard coral diversity in the world (after the Raja Ampat Archipelago in eastern Indonesia). 

A recent study documented more than 800 species of reef fish and other charismatic species, ranging from pygmy seahorses to giant manta rays, whale sharks, and false killer whales. Groups of up to 50 manta rays have been seen feeding in Berau’s waters. 

While leatherback and green turtles are protected under national law, fishing is almost completely unregulated and unenforced. With the new capital of Indonesia moving soon to nearby East Kalimatan, the pressure on fish and coral reefs in the Derawan Islands will potentially be fatal to the area’s marine biodiversity and ability to sustainably feed the local populations, national and international fish markets, and increasing visitors.

Due to unplanned hotel development (especially on Derawan Island), illegal fishing, turtle and turtle egg poaching, heavy tourism impacts, and a lack of solid waste and grey water management, the Derawan Islands are under assault. 

Since President Joko Widodo decided that Penajam Paser Utara, a location 100 miles away from Derawan Archipelago, was to be the location of Indonesia's new capital city in 2019, construction projects started the following year. It's feared that this decision will encourage massive unregulated and unplanned development on the interior and exterior of the island, which are already being devastated by coal mines, cement factories, and unregulated aquaculture. As a part of that consequence, thousands of hectares of mangroves are destroyed to clear the way for shrimp and fish farming.

Conservation History

Conservation and management efforts in the Berau MPA were initiated in 1998 by the government, local society, and non-government organizations, making it one of the pioneering sites for marine conservation in Indonesia. Management efforts have been focused on the conservation of coastal and marine waters and their important biota through workshops on marine turtle conservation management and MPA management planning, education and outreach, and conservation training for the local people. Development of the MPA was initially led by the Berau district government, but after the enactment of Law No. 23/2014 on local government in Indonesia, jurisdiction was moved to the East Kalimantan provincial government.

Conservation Importance Berau’s waters contain more than 500 different species of corals, the second highest level of hard coral diversity in the world (after the Raja Ampat Islands in eastern Indonesia). A study documented more than 800 species of reef fish and other charismatic species, ranging from pygmy seahorses to giant manta rays, whale sharks, and false killer whales. Groups of up to 50 manta rays have been seen feeding in Berau’s waters. The Berau River is also home to some of the last remaining Irrawaddy dolphins in Indonesia.

The Berau MPA covers most of the important coastal ecosystems, including an extensive mangrove area in the southern Berau delta. The delta is home to the endemic proboscis monkey and many other species. Corals around the Semama and Sangalaki Islands are important feeding grounds for marine turtles and manta rays. The southern islands of Berau MPA, Mataha, and Bilang-Bilangan are known marine turtle nesting grounds. Meanwhile, Kakaban Island contains the world’s largest jellyfish lake, with four unique species of stingless jellyfish. The coastal waters of Biduk-Biduk sub-district feature a variety of coral, seagrass, and mangrove ecosystems.   Berau is the largest nesting site for endangered green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Indonesia, as well as in all of Southeast Asia. More than 5,000 marine turtles have been recorded nesting each year. The turtles emerge from the sea every night all throughout the year to lay their eggs on the white sandy beaches of Sangalaki, Derawan, Semama, Mataha, and Bilang-Bilangan. The peak nesting season is from May to August. 

The area has a unique and distinctive natural beauty that could benefit from further tourism development, and several companies are already specializing in marine tourism (such as dive and snorkeling tour operators and companies offering beach recreational activities). Another potential ecotourism activity is whale and dolphin watching. However, uncontrolled tourism activity could pose a threat to the natural environment if not properly managed. Hence, the conservation program is crucially needed in the area.

CONSERVATION BY THE NUMBERS

• Mangrove forest: 49,159 hectares

• Range of seagrass meadow cover: from less than 10 percent to 80 percent

• Coral: 507 species

• Reef fish: 872 species

• 10 cetacean species: 5 dolphin species and 5 whale species

• 6 marine turtle species

The Marine Turtle Protected Area Network (MTPAN)

In 2009, the Tri-National Committee for the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME) approved the design of a Sea Turtle MPA Network after scientific studies showed the connectivity of the marine turtle populations in the three SSME countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines).

The SSME Tri-National Committee recognized the need to jointly manage shared marine resources and identified the establishment of the Marine Turtle Protected Area Network (MTPAN) as among the key programs through which transboundary cooperation could take place.

Following the expiration of the SSME Memorandum of Understanding (2006–2016), this initiative has continued under the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), given that the Sulu-Sulawesi is recognized as a priority seascape in the CTI Regional Plan of Action. The MPA managers of the network shall agree on the modalities for cooperation to actively support each other’s MPA management efforts and collectively contribute to regional initiatives.

Regional Importance

In the 1980s, there were eight recorded nesting sites for green turtles in Berau; as of 2005, only six islands remained: Derawan, Sangalaki, Sambit, Blambangan, Mataha, and Bilang-Bilangan. Along with some islands in the Philippines (Taganak, Baguan, Langaan, Boan, Lihiman, and Great Bakkungan) and Malaysia (Turtle Island Park), the Berau MPA is an important habitat for green sea turtles. Five other marine turtle species are also found in Berau: leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and flatback (Natator depressa). However, the poaching, sale, and smuggling of turtle eggs remain rampant throughout the region, which may lead to decreasing numbers.

Communities

The coastal community in Berau consists of several ethnic groups, mainly the South Sulawesi (Buginese), Bajau, and Tausug/Sulu people. Main livelihoods in this area include fisheries, tourism, and aquaculture. Fisheries are important to the locals in terms of both subsistence and export revenue. The fishing community is generally equipped with knowledge passed down through generations or gained from interacting with the surrounding environment. There is much local wisdom related to fishing activities, manufacturing, repair, and use of fishing equipment, knowledge of weather, seasons, and wind directions, marine biota, and others.

Berau MPA consists of three different zones: the red zone (no-take zone), the green zone (limited utilization zone), and the grey zone (other zones).

Derawan Village Office has the authority to supervise and manage four islands and their surrounding waters. These are Derawan (Green zone – community residential center 1700+ population), Sangalaki Island (Green zone – Hawksbill and Green Turtle breeding center), Panjang Island, and Samama Island (Red zone – mangrove center).

GC has put forth seven recommendations to address the region's challenges:

1. Deploy marine radar for 24/7 surveillance.

2. Ensure active and targeted patrolling.

3. Conduct an educational campaign for Blue Derawan and Blue Maratua.

4. Deploy EarthRanger marine protection.

5. Demarcate marine park boundaries.

6. Support the establishment of the Blue Institute.

7. Support marine and land clean-ups.