Abstract
Southeast Aru Islands Marine Conservation Area (SE Aru MCA) has been existed for nearly 21 years, a period that long enough for a timely evaluation about how far improvement of management has been made in the area in question, i.e. whether management has improved situation of local communities and marine resources availability in the area. This study, therefore, aims at assessing management effectiveness and impacts of SE Aru MCA. Results suggest that the MCA, which was originally established as a marine nature reserve (Cagar Alam Laut, CAL) in 1991 and changed status into marine sanctuary in 2009, has not yet produced the expected positive impacts. Assessment using available tools indicated that the management level of SE Aru MCA is at level 1, with percentage of 34.12%, meaning it is still at initiation stage and less effective in terms of management outcomes. Index of conservation area effectiveness with a value of 0.387 shows that the overall conservation area in the 3 categories mentioned above is less effective, therefore conservation effect has not been able to solve area problems. It is concluded that, after more than 20 years exists in the area, few benefits have been produced by SE Aru MCA for local people associated with it and biological resources in it.
Highlights
Effectiveness of marine conservation area management is an effort to measure degree of area management to examine whether it has achieved the objectives of a marine conservation area (Hockings et al 2006)
Southeast Aru Islands conservation area is one of the conservation areas established by the central government based on Decree of Ministry of Forestry Republic of Indonesia No 27/Kpts-II/1991 holding the status of Marine Nature Reserve of Southeast Aru Islands, which was later handed over to the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries in 2009 through Decree of Ministry of Marine and Fisheries No 63/Men/2009 with the status changed into Aquatic Nature Sanctuary of Southeast Aru Islands
The determination of effectiveness level and impact of conservation area management was conducted by method using approach according to Carter et al (2011), which is completed with Excel software
Summary
Effectiveness of marine conservation area management is an effort to measure degree of area management to examine whether it has achieved the objectives of a marine conservation area (Hockings et al 2006). Research studies underlying the establishment of marine reserves is converted into marine nature Reserve (SAP) and it showed that the existence of ecosystem and its resources in Southeast Aru conservation area has been declining due to unsustainable exploitation (Far-Far 2005) This occured because there was lack of knowledge of local community about functions and benefits of the area (PUSDI-PSL UNPATTI 1993; Person & de Jongh 1993; Hitipeuw et al 1994); unclearly boundary of conservation area including zonation plan and unavailable plan of management area (Yayasan Hualopu 1997); the activities of community empowerment have not done in a good way (Maitimu 1995); controlling and law enforcement of unregulated has not been optimally in the area (Djohani & Alwi 1996). One of the aims which need to be in depth study was to analyse and to determine the extent of management effectivity level and conservation impact in this area in order to be an inputs to the management body, government in arranging, determining and implementation policies, program and activities in the area
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