1538 / 2024-09-27 22:52:30

Building Capacity and Community involvement for Sustainable Marine Protected Areas in Anambas: A Pathway to Coastal Community Resilience

MPA; Coral Reef; Coastal Community, Sustainable, Capacity Building

Session 48 - Ecological and Socio-Economic Benefits of Marine Protected Areas

The Anambas Islands are the outermost district in western Indonesia, bordering the South China Sea, with water area holds a variety of biological potential that is very high and diverse, including a coral reef area of 3,705.84 hectares, consisting of 339 coral species which are home to 407 species of marine fish from 10 families and 1.2 million hectares of conservation area in Anambas designated by the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.  However, the current condition of coral reefs is very concerning, partly due to climate change and human activities, such as coral mining, cyanide fishing for ornamental fish, and trawling (destructive fishing). This disturbance also occurs in conservation areas, making it a challenge for coral reef management in this marine conservation area in Anambas. So that regional support and community involvement are highly expected in the management of conservation areas to maintain the sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. Community involvement has been identified as a key component for successful conservation efforts. Therefore, the preparation of community-based management strategies is important to support the optimal implementation of conservation area management so that coastal communities can utilize them sustainably. This study aims to examine the factors that influence coral reef damage and the role of the community in managing the Anambas marine conservation area. The results of the study indicate that the threat of coral reef damage is caused by a lack of knowledge and awareness of coastal communities in the utilization of coastal resources. To maintain the sustainability of coral reef ecosystems, the recommended strategy is to strengthen community capacity and provide alternative livelihoods for the community through ecotourism activities that can improve the community's economy. In addition to building local capacity, our research identified the need for effective strategic planning, budgeting, and policies to enhance community efforts in coral reef rehabilitation in Anmabas MPA.