Arya, a young man with a passion for marine conservation

My experience working with the Coral Triangle Center in Bali was, although short, interesting to say the least. I spent the first few days working inside the office in Sanur, getting the opportunity to observe the way that a conservation center works. They hold plenty of meetings with both partners and themselves in order to come up with solutions for better and more eco-friendly lifestyles for fisherman and those who live in and around the coast. I was also exposed to the statistical information of the local Kampung fishermen, and could see the effort they put into conserving marine life. It is of vital importance to these fishermen, as it is one of their only sources of income.

When we went out to Lembongan Island, near Nusa Penida, I got to experience the CTC’s fieldwork. First order of business on the island was to check up on planted mangroves around the island that were planted in February. They had grown a significant amount, and it was interesting to see the variety of mangrove species in the area. We took a small canoe out into the serine swamps, where the water was opaque with silt. I also got the chance to explore the island and saw the seaweed fishermen hard at work. What I discovered is that they collect seaweed from the waters, string them up so that they don’t get washed away, and then bring them back on land to dry. Later, the seaweed is turned into herbal medicine or food products. This becomes a significant resource for the villagers and fishermen, and thus one can see the importance of conservation in areas such as Lembongan.

The second order of business was to plunge into the ocean. The area, known as Crystal Bay, was “crystal” clear (probably where the name comes from) and was abundant in various species, including the Mola-Mola (Ocean Sunfish) for which this area is most famous. About 15 boats surrounded us, full of tourists as we recorded the temperatures. They had placed water temperature loggers in two separate locations: one in a brightly lit 6 meters and the other in the freezing depth of 25 meters. For a moment, I felt more superior to the tourists, as I was doing something for the ocean instead of just sightseeing for once. Then we were taken to an area where Mola-Mola are commonly cleaned. Almost immediately, a large 4-meter Mola-Mola approached us from the deep blue. We were lucky to be the first ones to glimpse the gentle giant. And I managed to get at least 2 meters away from it; the experience was captivating. It motivated me to be more conserving and eco-friendly, so that magnificent creatures such as the Mola-Mola may continue existing, for future generations to experience the same that I had the privilege of experiencing. I encourage others who are interested in protecting the future of our environment to support the CTC and their work (by Arya Harsono, CTC volunteer).

Photos by CTC /Nusa Penida team.