Destruction level on coral reef in the Ambon bay

Abstract

Ambon Bay is a part of Ambon Island located at the Eastern Indonesia. The bay has an area of 124.5 km2, and consists of a shallow inner bay and a deeper outer bay. Ambon bay has a complete tropical ecosystem of coral reef ecosystem, sea grass area and mangrove ecosystem including natural resources which associated to those three ecosystems. Monitoring result on coral ecosystem had been done for 33 years from 1986 – 2019 indicated the percentage of coral coverage were declined. On 1986, percentage coverage of live coral was on good category (coverage percentage of live coral >50%), but on the last 30 years shown declining. Percentage of live coral coverage is on very good category, and then turned to good category, then to amber until worst. Few location at Ambon Inner Bay (IAB) Halong and Kate Kate) even have no more coral reef now, live coral coverage is 0%. This is caused by sedimentation of land clearing at the higher level and solid trash. It is suggested to restore the coral reef ecosystem by transplantation technique and reduce the trash into the coral reef area.