To maintain the spectacular coral reef ecosystem of the Banda Islands, since 2012, CTC has facilitated the development of the marine protected area (MPA) network which includes the Banda Marine Tourism Park (Taman Wisata Perairan Laut Banda or TWP Banda), Ay Island, Rhun Island, and Hatta Island. CTC has been focusing on facilitating the development of the Ay and Rhun MPA while our partners are facilitating the TWP Banda and Hatta Island MPAs.  

In order to increase capacity of the community as well as refresh their knowledge on MPA establishment, CTC conducted two parallel competency-based trainings for the Ay and Rhun Conservation Team, local partners from TWP Banda Office and Maluku Province Marine Affairs and Fisheries Branch Office representatives on Principles of MPA. The training and competency assessments were carried out simultaneously and sequentially on April 2-5 and April 6-7, to 13 participants in Rhun Island and 19 participants in Ay Island. The assessment results pronounced that 30 participants out of 32 were competent as operators of MPA Management Planning.Furthermore, the community also had a chance to join the training sessions that were held simultaneously  on April 9-10, 2019 for both Ay and Rhun communities. Each training session was attended by 16 and 17 participants, each of whom is a stakeholder in their community, such as community leaders, religious leaders, and youth and women’s groups. They received similar topics to the conservation team but with customized content. Participants from both training sessions were highly motivated, actively participating and showing their skills to complete the training modules.

Moreover on the last day of the program, CTC held a public consultation for the draft of each design for an MPA. Communities had the opportunity to show their acceptance or disagreement with the draft and started to identify activities that are allowed or not allowed in each proposed zone.  The suggestions were collected, and will provide guidance for the next public consultation or revision of the designs.