The Need for Co-Operation in Conservation of SE Aru Turtles

Kiki Dethmers

Abstract

Intensifying sea turtle harvests and increasing pressure on feeding and nesting grounds seriously threaten the Indonesian sea turtle populations. Comprehensive, long-term population studies are scarce if not absent, and yet essential in conservation and management planning The Aru Tenggara Marine Reserve (ATMR) was established in 1991 based primarily on the presence of a relatively large stock of both nesting and foraging green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Since its establishment, fishing gathering and hunting activities have continued unimpeded within the reserve's  boundaries. A strategic plan to control the exploitation in and around the reserve is lacking The exploitation issue is complex and difficult to control through solitary activities. An interdisciplinary approach was created through the co-operation between Indonesian and Dutch government and non-governmental institutes, with the aim of developing a conservation and management plan for the ATMR

Introduction

Excessive harvesting is a major cause of the decline of many sea turtle stocks worldwide. In Indonesia, sea turtles are heavily exploited for their meat and shell. In Bali, the turtle market at Tanjung Benoa has been referred to as the largest slaughterhouse for green turtles in the world. In an attempt to meet the demand at the market, fishermen have ventured further from Bali, since the local stock has already been depleted. One area that is still home to an adequately- sized stock of foraging as well as nesting turtles is Aru. Recently though, even Aru turtles have been harvested in considerable numbers by those supplying the Bali market.

The Aru archipelago is located in the southeast of the Moluccas. The shallow coastal waters to the southeast of Aru have an exceptionally high biological diversity and have been considered among the richest marine areas in Indonesia (Compost 1980). Scattered along the north and east coast there are extensive seagrass beds and coral reefs, which constitute important feeding grounds for the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). The sandy beaches along some of the islands in the SE of Aru are home to nesting turtles. In former days both hawksbill and green turtles frequented the islands Enu, Jeh and Karang. Today, only the 10 km of sandy beach on Enu island is used by the green turtles. In 1991, an area of 114.000 ha was declared as the Aru Tenggara Marine Reserve (ATMR) by governmental decree¹, encompassing 6 uninhabited islands (Fig. 1). The decree, which declares an oval-shaped area to be a strict marine reserve, states that various marine species such as the dugong (Dugong dugon), turtles (Dermochelys coriacea and Caretta caretta) and salt water crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are protected, as well as their habitat. Ironically, neither leatherbacks nor loggerhead turtles have been observed in the reserve or its surroundings. Species that do occur in the area, such as the green and hawksbill turtles, are not listed in the decree.

With IUCN funding and Dutch NGO funds a research team in collaboration with PHPA-KSDA², WWF-Indonesia and the Pattimura University set up a tagging program and provided field facilities (Schulz 1996). The project was led by the late Dr. J. Schulz, but after his departure in 1993 all activities related to turtle research or protection in that area ceased. Terms of Reference (ToR), composed two years after the establishment of the reserve, list a number of activities geared towards the protection of turtles (SBKSDA, 1993). However, a solid strategic plan for the management of the reserve and the rookery within it was never developed. In the absence of a management plan for the reserve and accompanying monitoring and patrolling operations, the exploitation of the turtles could continue unperturbed.

This chapter presents the results of a study of turtle exploitation in SE Aru, carried out as part of a preliminary investigation for the formulation of a management plan for the ATMR. The study aimed to distinguish the stakeholders and participants in the exploitation activities, to quantify the degree of exploitation, and to identify problems with regard to controlling exploitation activities.

Fig 1: Location of Aru Tenggara Marine Reserve

Materials and Methods

Data were collected as part of a PhD research program on the ecology of the Aru sea turtle population (Dethmers 1996). Biological data were collected from beach surveys on Enu island and during feeding-ground surveys carried out from July to November 1997, March to June 1998 and October to December 1998. During one of these feeding-ground surveys the research team encountered a number of Balinese turtle vessels. The captains and crew were interviewed, as well as numerous other people from nearby villages from the main town (Dobo) and those visiting the rookery. Additional information was ohtamed from published and unpublished reports.

Results

There are two categories of exploiters; the local and the non-local (outside) turtle collectors (Table I). In addition to the exploiters, there are a series of other groups and organisations involved in the exploitation issue. These include those responsible for the protection of areas and species (KSDA), and those regulating fisheries activities (fisheries department). Those stimulating turtle exploitation such as the consumers and traders are also key players exacerbating the exploitation problem.

Table I: Origin of turtle exploiters in Aru.

It is likely that the Bali turtle hunters pose the biggest threat to the Aru turtle population, although to date there are no data to prove so. The vessels and their crew usually come from Sulawesi but are owned/operated by Balinese traders. The boats can load between 200 and 400 turtles each. Based on field observations and interviews in 1997 and 1998 an estimate of over 5000 green turtles are taken each year, along with 50 to 100 clutches of eggs (Table II).

Table II: Green turtle harvest (1997-1998 estimates)

* Percentage refers to the instances when poachers were present on the island

Discussion

Exploitation - In Southeast Aru, exploitation activities are the main threat facing turtle populations. The turtles and their eggs have been harvested for centuries, a process which intensified during the 1970s, when large Butonese sailing vessels came to catch turtles for the Bali market. The local people have, until recently, only been exploiting turtles on a small scale and only for subsistence. Turtles were generally caught within the scope of other activities such as pearl diving, shark fishing or collecting trepang (Dethmers & Ossewijer, unpub. data). Only recently have people living along the SE coast started collecting turtles to export to Dobo, the main town of Aru. The onset of this trend coincided with the arrival of non-local turtle harvesters.

At the feeding grounds the men from the Balinese boats catch between 15 and 20 turtles per night of all size classes (Table II). In October 1998 there were 6 vessels operating in the area. Assuming each vessel managed to sail for Bali three times a year with an average 300 turtles per trip, I estimate 5000 turtles were harvested in 1998 by this group alone. This number of sea turtles was enough to cover the annual quota of turtles allowed to be landed at the Tanjung Benoa harbour in Bali³. The quota in Bali has never been regulated properly, and the numbers of turtles landed each year far exceeded the granted maximum (WWF, pers. com.).

The exact number of turtles and eggs taken at the rookery each year is difficult to estimate. The number and duration of visits by turtle hunters and egg collectors depend on a number of factors, such as weather, periods of national or traditional ceremonial feasts, and the presence of research teams on the island to deter them. It is the local people who primarily exploit turtles for meat at the rookery. Quantification is therefore problematic and figures presented here are only rough estimates, based on findings from only those days on which the poachers were observed to visit the island. The number of turtles that were turned over varied from 2 to 10 per night. Based on the timing of these visits, I estimate that, averaged over a year, the island is visited once a week. During each visit at least 2 turtles are collected, resulting in at least 100 turtles from the rookery per annum. This number is most likely an underestimate, as the frequency of visits is believed to increase when there is no research team present on the island. Based on the number of turtles that were tagged during the 1997- 1998 nesting period, I estimate that approximately 15 % of the nesting turtles may have been taken from the rookery that year.

During rough weather, several dozen Bugis and Buton shark fishing boats often seek shelter near the coast of the southeastern islands. The boatmen come ashore at dusk and search for fresh turtle nests. Quantification of this egg collec tion was based on activities on Enu island, the main rookery in the area. On days when poachers visited the island, between 50 and 100 % of the nests were collected. Occasionally the egg poacher does not wait for the turtle to nest, and turns the turtle over, cuts it open ventrally and removes the eggs directly from the oviduct. Islamic poachers do not consume turtle meat, and the butchered turtle is left on the beach to waste. Although this kind of egg harvesting was witnessed on three occasions, it is believed that it occurs more frequently when there is no research team on the island, based on observations made by J. Schulz in 1993 and 1994 (Schulz, pers. comm.) and the large number of overturned carcasses encountered at the start of each new field period.

The large scale pelagic fishery activities around Aru do not target turtles directly, but they are believed to be responsible for a significant portion of turtle loss as accidental by-catch. Dead turtles, drowned or strangled in nets, regularly wash up on the beaches.

Management - Management of turtle populations in Aru is complicated by a number of factors. Foremost is that legislation in Indonesia does not protect green turtles, and only turtles that occur within the boundaries of the ATMR can be protected. The exact boundaries of the reserve have not yet been established, and ignorance about where the reserve starts and where it ends has caused confusion among stakeholders, turtle exploiters and conservationists. In addition, the area is remote and difficult to monitor. Furthermore, in Indonesia the exploitation of turtles is regulated through the Department of Fisheries as turtles are considered under the 'fish' subsection. Only turtles within the boundaries of protected areas are controlled by the KSDA. This partition in legislative authority obstructs decision making processes, and the lack of communication between the two departments compounds the problem. It is not clear who should issue turtle harvesting licenses to non-local people, or who should control it. Those responsible for enforcement activities in the field are generally not able to cope due to improper or insufficient training and are often unfamiliar with the legal process and legislation, in particular those not directly related to sea turtles.

The complexity among issues of turtle exploitation is another problem with respect to management. It is not merely the act of catching turtles but rather the motivation for catching them and the incentives that lie behind, which hamper management activities. For example, Balinese turtle hunters will only continue harvesting turtles as long as there is a market for turtle meat and as long as the profits compensate for the effort. That market is maintained by the demand by consumers but also by legislative regulations such as quota. Butonese sharkfishers collect eggs for a change of diet. Their presence in the area is determined by the demand for sharkfin. The local turtle hunter will collect turtles for commercial purposes as long as there is a demand on the local market. In other words, the diversity of players is immense and they operate from different administrative levels.

Towards a solution - Protective measures in areas where turtles are harvested are not sufficient to combat turtle exploitation effectively. Protection of the rookery and intensive patrolling of the feeding areas is time consuming, requires considerable mandate, and may prove to be only partly effective. The exploitation issue needs to be dealt with at the source, by lowering or retracting the quota at the Bali market. This will require the close cooperation between a relatively wide variety of institutions. Initial efforts toward this end are currently being undertaken by conservation NGO's in cooperation with governmental institutions.

A preliminary attempt at such a cooperation was initiated in 1997 through Indonesian and Dutch institutes for the conservation and management planning for the turtles of SE Aru. At present, WWF-Ambon plays a coordinating role in bringing together Indonesian governmental institutes and research institutes. In addition WWF conducts biodiversity studies in and around the ATMR and provides field facilities and financial assistance for those involved in the cooperative effort. Two Dutch Universities are conducting research on sea turtle biology and the socio-economical structures of the SE Aru communities. The main objectives are 1) to develop a strategic plan for the management of the Aru Tenggara Marine Reserve; 2) the protection of the different ecosystems in it, and; 3) the protection of the turtle population in particular. The marine turtle research project at Nijmegen University aims to contribute to the design of a conservation strategy for sea turtles nesting and feeding in SE Aru. Scientific data obtained from a demographic study of the nesting population, a quantitative and qualitative foraging study, a study on migratory movements and an inventory of threats will form the biological basis for a management plan for the turtle population. This project intends to have long-term follow up through joint efforts in monitoring activities at the nesting beaches and regular monitoring of the feeding grounds.

To curb exploitation it is necessary to improve the regulating instrument. Since the non-local exploiters pose the biggest threat to the population, they should be the main points of focus. Consultation is essential between the different provincial departments (in this case the Department of Fisheries, and Nature Conservation of Maluku, Bali and Sulawesi) and between the different administrative levels within each department, in order to achieve a mutual goal. Cooperation is also required to enforce existing government regulations. Recently, two new presidential resolutions have been formulated (PP No. 7 and 8/1999)^4. These resolutions could constitute a practical tool for conservation activities once they become effective. In addition, management strategies will need to consider international agreements such as those formulated under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS 1979), requiring cooperation with international stake holders.

Conclusion

Exploitation of sea turtles in SE Aru is considerable and threatens the survival of the turtle populations. There is an urgent need for an effective management strategy for turtle conservation. Experience has shown that the complex exploitation issue can best be dealt with through cooperation among regulating and scientific organisations.

References

Compost, A., 1980. A pilot survey of exploitation of dugong and sea turtles in the Aru islands. Yayasan Indonesia hijau, Jakarta.

Dethmers, E.M., 1996. Ecological aspects of an Indo-Australian sea turtle population; implications for management. Outline of a PhD-research project on marine turtles on Aru, Moluccas, Indonesia. Nijmegen University. Environmental Studies Report  No. 132.

Dethmers, E.M., 1997. Preliminary results of a study on the Enu marine turtle rookery. July-November 1997. Report prepared for LIPI.

Dethmers, E.M. & M. Osseweijer, 1999. Conservation biology of the Aru turtles; a matter of management. Unpublished.

Pemerintah, R.I., 1999. Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia. Nomor 7 Tahun 1999. Pengawetan Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa. Presiden Republik Indonesia

Pemerintah, R.I., 1999. Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia. Nomor 8 Tahun 1999. Pemanfaatan Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa. Presiden Republik Indonesia

Schulz, J.P., 1989. Report on observations on sea turtles in East Indonesia (with notes on nature conservation in general). Report to IUCN and van Tienhoven Foundation.

Schulz, J.P., 1996. Marine turtles in Aru. In: The Aru archipelago: plants, animals people, and conservation (Nooteboom, H.P., ed). Mededelingen No. 30, Ned. Commissie Voor Intemationale Natuurbescherming: 57-74.

Sub Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Maluku, 1993. Terms of Reference (TOR). Pelestarian penyu di cagar alam laut sebagian pulau-pulau Aru bagian Tenggara, Maluku Tenggara - propinsi Maluku. Ambon.

UNEP, 1979. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals. Bonn

¹ Keputusan Menteri Kehutanan Nomor 72/Kpts-II/1991.
² PHPA-KSDA is the natural resources conservation section of the Indonesian forestry department

³ In order to control the trade of livestock, Bali was allocated 5000 turtles by provincial decree (SK Gubemur No. 22/1990). This number was based on the annual requirement of turtle meat for religious ceremonies.

⁴ Presidential resolution No. 7: Regulates the Preservation of flora and fauna. The appendix lists all flora and fauna species that are considered 'protected species' and includes all species of sea turtles. Presidential resolution No.8: Regulates the Use of wild flora and fauna, prohibiting the trade of all protected species.