We are approaching the end of 2021, which has been especially difficult year for many of the vulnerable coastal communities with whom we are working. Thankfully, it has also been a gratifying year in other respects. We hosted 15 Indonesian fresh graduates in our field sites in Selayar, South Sulawesi, in the Kedonganan area, South Bali, and in Les village, North Bali, where our training centre is located. The interns have been helping our reef restoration project, and the implementation of catch data monitoring for the small-scale octopus fisheries.
This year we deployed over 180 artificial structures in Banggai to rehabilitate the Banggai Cardinalfish habitats, and planted over 300 corals at our reef restoration sites in North Bali. We are also pleased that six conservation communities of North Bali who are part of the ‘Indonesia Coral Reef Garden’ initiative have continued to maintain and monitor the reef restoration sites near their villages, and have reported their activity on a social media page that we helped to set up for them. Our coral reef restoration work continues to thrive with support from Adopt a Coral UK, and Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, who are also supporting our internship program.
This year we have started to look again at the marine aquarium fishery, to try to learn what has changed, and what still needs to be done. We are working together with the Coral Reef Aquarium Fisheries Campaign of Connecticut USA, and the review of the marine aquarium trade is funded by the Darwin Initiative. We at LINI would like to thank all of the people who have so generously given their time and resources to support our marine and fisheries conservation efforts during these difficult years. We wish all our supporters a very happy holiday, and hope that everyone stays healthy and safe in the coming year!
By Gayatri Reksodihardjo-Lilley