News

Training on Methods to Survey and Monitor Dugong and Seagrass

February 01, 2017

DSCP Indonesia invited academics, researchers, and practitioners focusing on dugong and seagrass conservation to participate in “Training on Methods to Survey and Monitor Dugong and Seagrass”. This event was held in Ancol, Jakarta, during January 30th to February 1st, 2017, and in Tolitoli, Central Sulawesi, during February 3-5, 2017. About 40 participants will be invited to join the training in Tolitoli.

Dugong (Dugong dugon), or “duyung” in Indonesian language, is one of 35 marine mammal species found in Indonesian waters. The animal is often observed in seagrass field and is protected in Indonesia under the Government Regulation No. 7 Year 1999. Dugong has also been classified by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the “vulnerable” species to extinction. Meanwhile, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) include the dugong under Appendix 1. This means dugong is fully protected, and CITES prohibits the international trade in specimens of the animal.

Efforts to increase the effectiveness of dugong and seagrass conservation in Indonesia has been supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Environment Programme – Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (UNEP-CMS), and Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MbZ) through a program called Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project (DSCP). This program has been carried out in seven countries or implementing project partners, such as Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, and Vanuatu. In Indonesia itself, DSCP programs will be implemented in four locations, namely Bintan (Riau Islands), Alor (East Nusa Tenggara), West Kotawaringin (Central Kalimantan), and Tolitoli (Central Sulawesi).

Here is a sample of the photos from the workshop and training session

As reported by the event coordinator, Casandra Tania from WWF-Indonesia, more than 120 participants, including volunteers, registered for this training. Thirty participants were selected out of 350 applicants from all over Indonesia.

Training topics:
1. Database and Geographic Information System (GIS)
2. Dugong Biaocoustics
3. Aerial Survey
4. Participative Monitoring
5. Seagrass Community and Ecosystem Services
6. Dugong Stranding Response

Director Conservation and Marine Biodiversity (CMB), Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management (DG of MSM), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), Ir. Andi Rusandi, M.Si, opened the training. He welcomed the participants with an optimistic point of view, wishing the event to be successful and able to improve the capacity of local and national stakeholders in conserving dugong and its habitat, the seagrass field. The conservation effort might include the implementation of questionnaire survey and response to dugong strandings. The participants of the training were also expected to become more capable of conducting aerial and bioacustics survey, and conducting data analysis and management by using GIS techniques.

“Indonesia is still lacking of available data and other information about dugongs as one of twenty prioritized species by the MMAF. The information is needed to support the development of on-target management and protection policies. Moreover, we hope that the other parties will support us in implementing the National Plan of Action of Dugong and Seagrass Conservation that has been developed together,” said Andi.

Head of Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Insitute of Sciences (LIPI), Dr. Dirhamsyah M.A., stated that LIPI as a scientific authority in Indonesia appreciated the implementation of this training. Standardized data collection methods would support comparable data collection, both in national and international level. As the data trustee for coral reef and seagrass ecosystem in Indonesia, LIPI hoped that dugong and seagrass data could be gathered in the national database. This statement by Dr. Dirhamsyah was delivered by Nurul Dhewani, a LIPI researcher, during an opening session of the training.

The training in Jakarta was joined by about 100 invited and general participants from public or government and private sectors, non-government organizations, and higher education institutions. From a research point-of-view, the event was expected to motivate researchers and academics to participate in dugong and seagrass research of which results has been relatively lacking if compared to coral reel and mangrove research, stated the Dean of Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Dr. Luky Adrianto. Besides, there is an urgent need to conserve dugong and seagrass field as ecosystem service providers.

“The training in Tolitoli is expected to increase the knowledge, awareness, and participation from all parties, including the local community,” state Wawan Ridwan, the Director of Coral Triangle Programme WWF-Indonesia. “Through DSCP, the local community is encouraged to be the key player and ambassador for dugong and seagrass conservation in their own area.”

For further information, please contact:
Ir. Andi Rusandi, M.Si, Director Conservation and Marine Biodiversity (CMB), Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management (DG of MSM), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF)
Email: subditkonservasijenis@gmail.com ; andirusandi62@gmail.com

Dr. Dirhamsyah M.A., Head of Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Insitute of Sciences (LIPI)
Email: dirhamsyah@lipi.go.id

Dr. Ir. Luky Adrianto, M.Sc, Dean of Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB)
Email: luky_adrianto@yahoo.com

Wawan Ridwan, Director of Coral Triangle Programme WWF-Indonesia
Email: wridwan@wwf.id