Dive Tourism off the Reefs of the Padaido Islands, Irian Jaya, Indonesia

by Rumsram Foundation

Partners:

Rumsram Foundation Hualopu Foundation IDRC Canadian University Service Organization (CUSO)

1997 Update

Over the past year Rumsram has continued to foster a savings ethic among community members, socialize the idea of community-controlled ecotourism and develop basic skills and infrastructure. Weekly information sessions are held in church on Sunday. Village cooperatives started by Rumsram in collaboration with the church are putting savings in the bank which will be available as loans to local entrepreneurs.

Several craftspersons have already availed themselves of small loans. By September of 1997 the project could boast new toilet blocks in Wundi, Saba and Dawi, an additional cottage on Dawi island, perahus (small boats) in Saba and Dawi that tourists can use, permanent anchorage buoys in place on Saba and Dawi reefs and FAD's (Fish Aggregating Devices) in Wundi and Dawi. English classes have begun in Saba, and significant progress has been made in planning for management of tourism activities, particularly in Saba and Dawi. The efforts of Rumsram and the communities to conserve their reefs and develop ecotourism is strongly supported by local village and district governments.

A small number of tourists have already been attracted to the area and they also have been a valuable source of information and feedback concerning community efforts. For all concerned, it is a rewarding learning experience.

Monitoring of socio-economic and biological impacts of the project has begun, with baseline data collected in early 1997. Monitoring of coral reef health and biodiversity has been conducted twice. The data show that all reefs being surveyed are in just as good or slightly better condition than they were at the beginning of the project. Improvements can be seen in areas that were damaged in the past by blast fishing or by the earthquake and tsunami of 1996. Recovery is particularly rapid off Runi island, the site of extensive earthquake damage. Monitoring shows that blast fishing is at an all-time low -- in fact virtually non-existent -- at all project sites because of increased awareness.

More community members are being trained so that in the future they themselves can monitor the reefs that are the basis for both local fisheries and tourism. Recently, in Saba where all monitoring trainees have up to now been male, a group of six women decided that they too want to start the learning process, while a second group of women have begun a study group on marine plant diversity and applications for family health, food and tourism. A group of fishers who use both natural reefs and the FAD's (Fish Aggregating Devices) is recording catch data so that the degree of shift from reef to pelagic species can be evaluated. A new program under which women can chart and analyze their shellfish catches has just been instituted. Village volunteers are also collecting information on sea temperature and transparency so that they will be better able to distinguish changes caused by local activities from changes related to, for instance, climate change.

Successes and Challenges

"OK...So What?"

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