KKP: The Presence Of Sharks And Stingrays Marine Health Indicators

Director General of Marine Space Management kkp Tb. Haeru Rahayu (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) emphasizes the importance of preserving sharks and stingrays that are vulnerable to extinction, even though the existence of the two species is one indicator of marine health.

"The presence of this type of fish in a water is one of the key indicators of marine health," said Director General of Marine Space Management KKP Tb. Haeru Rahayu, in a press release in Jakarta, reported antara, Thursday, April 8.

He pointed out, a number of characteristics such as biological factors that are slow to mature sexually to slow growth make sharks and rays vulnerable to extinction.

Therefore, KKP also invites various stakeholders to jointly synergize shark and stingray conservation in Indonesia.

That, he said, is also in line with the direction of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono to manage fishery resources, including sharks and rays, sustainably for the welfare of coastal communities.

Recognizing the importance of the existence of sharks and rays, KKP has included sharks and rays into 20 types of fish that become national conservation targets in 2020-2024.

Moreover, he continued, sharks and rays have become an international issue since the inclusion of several types of sharks and manta rays in the Appendix of the Convention on The Trade of Endangered Fauna and Flora / CITES as a result of the high rate of utilization of such fish both as a target catch and a side catch.

"The Government of Indonesia takes shark and stingrays very seriously through a number of policies including the development of conservation areas, protection of certain endangered shark and stingray species and utilization arrangements through quotas," said Tb Haeru.

Meanwhile, WWF Indonesia Foundation CEO Dicky P. Simorangkir said the toughest challenge in conservation of this type is hard to obtain data, while it is very important to develop an effective conservation action plan.

"Our sea is very wide, we need collaboration from all parties, ranging from fishermen, fisheries extension officers, students, to dive tourism managers with sharks," said Dicky.