The Government's Reason for Establishing West Wetar as a Marine Conservation Area

JAKARTA - The government has designated 325,238.02 hectares of West Wetar waters in West Maluku Regency, Maluku Province, as a marine conservation area to protect areas with high marine biodiversity while supporting the sustainability of coastal communities' livelihoods.

Director of Ecosystem Conservation of the Directorate General of Marine Management of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Firdaus Agung said that the designation of the area was part of the government's commitment to protect high-value marine ecosystems in the eastern part of Indonesia.

"The park in the West Wetar waters consists of a core zone of 2,726.42 hectares, a limited utilization zone of 322,408.07 hectares, and other utilization zones of 103.53 hectares. This zoning arrangement is the basis for the management of a conservation area that is measurable and based on the protection of the ecosystem," said Firdaus, quoted by Antara, Friday, January 9.

The establishment of the marine conservation area was carried out through the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 89 of 2025 dated December 31, 2025.

The area named West Wetar Water Park is the latest marine conservation area in Maluku Province, with a total area of 325,238.02 hectares which includes two management units, namely the West Wetar waters and the waters south of Wetar Island.

The process of determining the conservation area itself is led by the Maluku Provincial Marine and Fisheries Service with the assistance of Conservation Indonesia (KI) through a series of processes that began in 2022.

The assistance includes Marine Rapid Assessment, zoning and management plan preparation, and consultation with stakeholders at the village, district, and provincial levels.

Marine Ecology Manager of Conservation Indonesia Jimy Kalther in a similar statement explained that the waters of West Wetar are part of a wider ecological system, including the corridor of movement of marine megafauna.

"This area not only serves as a local habitat, but also part of the marine megafauna movement path. Therefore, its management needs to be science-based so that its ecological functions can be fully protected," explained Jimy.

Not only that, the results of the Marine Rapid Assessment identified two important fish spawning locations, namely in Ustutun Village, Lirang Island, as a spawning area for imperator fish (Monotaxis grandoculis) and in Telemar Village as a spawning area for one type of parrotfish (Macolor macularis).

In addition, the area also has an atoll with excellent coral reef coverage conditions.

"The park in the Western Wetar Waters is designated to protect coral reefs, including atolls, salt marshes, and mangroves, as well as to maintain the migration routes of marine mammals such as whale sharks, sperm whales, and dwarf blue whales," said Jimy Kalther.