The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries And The Community Handle A Stranded Dugong In Bawean

Dugong stranded in Bawean (Photo: https://kkp.go.id/)

JAKARTA - The first time this happened, a dugong was found stranded on Bawean Island, precisely in Kepuh Teluk Village, Tambak District, Gresik Regency, East Java Province last week, May 17.

Responding to this incident, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) through the Denpasar Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL), the Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management (DG PRL) carried out the handling according to the applicable protocol.

Reporting from the official website of the KKP, Head of BPSPL Denpasar Permana Yudiarso explained that based on information obtained from the community around the dugong, it is still often seen in Bawean waters because there are many seagrass habitats in Bawean waters. This incident of a dugong being stranded dead was the first to be reported or known.

The Denpasar BPSPL received a report from the Bawean Island Conservation Care Association (Bawean Conservation) and the Bawean Green Leaf Community Monitoring Group (POKMASWAS) regarding the incident of a dugong stranded dead. The East Java BPSPL Denpasar Working Area team swiftly coordinated with related parties for the handling.

"The dugong has been stranded dead since May 16, 2021, at 13.00 p.m. local time. According to the results of the examination and morphological measurements, the dugong with a length of about 2.5 meters is male. The condition has rotted (code 4)", explained Yudi.

Furthermore, Yudi added that the dugong carcasses were buried in locations around the Bayangkara beach area, with coordinates 5˚73.6768' latitude; 112˚71.8699' east longitude in Kepuh Teluk Village, Tambak District, Gresik Regency manually by a Joint Team consisting of Denpasar BPSPL, Bawean Conservation Association, Green Leaf POKMASWAS, Bawean Supervision of Marine and Fishery Resources (PSDKP Satwas), Directorate General of PSDKP, Bawean Sector Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), Bawean Water Police (Polair) and other officials local and surrounding communities.

The efforts carried out in the field by the Directorate General of PRL are in line with the direction of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono to manage fishery resources, including the dugong marine mammal which is one of the rare biotas and is protected by the state through Government Regulation Number 7 of 1999 concerning Preservation types of plants and animals. The regulation was also confirmed by the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 79 of 2018 concerning the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals.