A new non-government organisation (NGO) has launched to support a marine protected area (MPA) in Bintan, Indonesia.
To continue reading, subscribe to Eco‑Business.
There's something for everyone. We offer a range of subscription plans.
- Access our stories and receive our Insights Weekly newsletter with the free EB Member plan.
- Unlock unlimited access to our content and archive with EB Circle.
- Publish your content with EB Premium.
The East Bintan MPA was set up to protect the biodiverse island group near Singapore in 2022, but it has been compromised by limited funding and increasing industrial activity.
Named Yayasan Lentera Permata Biru, or Blue Lantern in Bahasa Indonesia, the new non-profit aims to raise awareness in the local community and tourism sector about the importance of an effective MPA and how to achieve it in an area impacted by heavy industry.
There are various forms of MPAs – with the East Bintan MPA being multiple-use, including a no-take zone where all fishing and resource extraction is prohibited and areas for traditional fishing and tourism.
Startup costs for Blue Lantern will be funded by private island eco-resorts Nikoi and Cempedak, whose guests will be encouraged to donate to help manage the MPA.
Over the long term, Blue Lantern plans to develop funding partnerships with local and international organisations which support MPA development and ocean conservation, including other tourism operators in the Riau archipelago as well as philanthropists and foundations, said Lilly Milligan, a conservation finance specialist who helped set up the NGO.
Funding generated from the NGO will go towards enforcement, monitoring, fuel, manpower and scientific surveys.
Blue Lantern launches a few weeks after the Riau Islands provincial government established a Badan Layanan Umum Daerah (BLUD), a special management unit to manage marine conservation areas in the province, which covers approximately 1.7 million hectares.
The BLUD allows the managing authority to legally collect, manage, and directly reinvest entrance and conservation fees, which exists in other marine parks such as the famous Raja Ampat reserve in West Papua.
Over the long term, the BLUD will manage the East Bintan MPA and raise funds from tourism, private sector companies and nature-based financing.
To date, the East Bintan MPA has relied on funding support from Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and conservation NGOs.
Shrinking marine park
Established six years ago, the East Bintan MPA initially covered 185,078 hectares, but was reduced by 25 per cent in size before it was enforced.
A guitar-shaped hole in the MPA accommodates a shipping lane for supplying heavy industry.
The East Bintan area is home to a large aluminium smelter and has been historically affected by bauxite mining that has caused extensive sediment pollution.
Among the programmes led by the new NGO will be stakeholder forums involving local industry as well as fishing communities and local tourism operators.
This article has been amended to protect the identities of the involved parties.
