Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries

Despite the increased international attention to whale shark conservation, their populations remain predominantly depleted due to anthropogenic activities such as fishing, ship collisions, and marine pollution. Reports of whale shark strandings in Indonesia have been increasing in recent years, elevating concerns regarding their well-being and the potential disturbance to their population recovery. However, limited understanding of stranding patterns, trends, and the oceanographic factors potentially driving these events has resulted in efforts focusing primarily on responding to strandings rather than implementing effective mitigation strategies. Using a 13-year stranding dataset (n = 115) obtained from open-access databases, reports, news, and publications, we examined the characteristics of stranding cases in Indonesia, including population demographics, where hotspots occur, and whether their occurrence is related to oceanographic dynamics in the region. Our study highlights significant population-level disturbances, with 70% of stranded individuals being large juveniles (4–7 m). It also documented a positive interannual trend in stranding cases (R² = 0.67, p < 0.01). The southern coast of Java has emerged as a stranding hotspot, with events seasonally associated with strong upwelling, likely related to the seasonal foraging activities of whale sharks in the region. Although natural events were identified as the main factors contributing to whale shark strandings, anthropogenic activities may also play an important role and require further investigation.

Abstract Shark and ray fisheries face increasing conservation and governance challenges in complex, multi-species fisheries systems. This study provides insights into the social–ecological system (SES) of elasmobranch fisheries at Brondong National Fishing Port (PPN Brondong), a major fishing hub on the northern coast of East Java, Indonesia. Landing data, species composition, and IUCN conservation status were integrated with social–ecological network analysis to assess the structure and relative roles of SES components. The results indicate that landings are dominated by Critically Endangered and Vulnerable taxa, with Sphyrna lewini and Rhynchobatus australiae exhibiting the highest landing frequencies. The SES structure highlights strong linkages between production activities and market dynamics, alongside the relatively limited influence of local governance in regulating catch and trade. These findings suggest the need for targeted management interventions, including species-based measures, to better align conservation priorities with socio-economic objectives. This study demonstrates the value of an SES-based approach in strengthening the information base for sustainable elasmobranch fisheries management.

This study examined coral reef health and the potential for ecological recovery in the coastal waters of Seram Laut Island, Maluku, Indonesia. Field surveys were conducted at nine stations using the Underwater Photo Transect method along 100 m transects at approximately 3 m depth, combined with Snorkelling Visual Census. Live coral cover, benthic life-form composition, and habitat similarity among stations were analysed using CPCe and MINITAB 19. Live coral cover ranged from 22.81% to 60.15%, classifying two stations as good, five as moderate, and two as poor. Cluster analysis showed habitat similarity values exceeding 95%, grouping stations with comparable benthic structures and disturbance histories, which is relevant for spatial conservation planning. Signs of natural recovery were recorded at Stations 7 and 9, indicated by the regrowth of branching Acropora tubulata and massive corals on dead substrates. These results demonstrate that coral reefs under customary Sasi management can retain ecological resilience despite localized disturbances. This study provides empirical evidence linking benthic similarity patterns and natural regeneration processes within a local wisdom-based management context, supporting adaptive protection strategies and community-based monitoring for long-term coral reef conservation.

The present study employed environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding of the metazoan community composition and diversity in relation to water quality parameters from four major river estuaries of South Sumatra, Indonesia (Sembilang, Banyuasin, Musi, and Air Salek). Surface water samples (1 L each) were collected in triplicate from each of the four estuaries, yielding a total of 12 samples. The study was conducted in September 2025, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using mlCOIintF/jgHCO2198 and sequenced with Oxford Nanopore. In total, 26,300 quality-filtered sequence reads were obtained across eight taxonomic classes: Malacostraca (54.4

The Gili Matra Marine Conservation Area has dual functions as a center for marine conservation as well as an ecotourism destination. Although ecotourism contributes significantly to the economy, the area faces challenges in maintaining ecological and social sustainability owing to increased tourism activities. This study evaluated economic value using the Travel Cost Method (TCM). The status of sustainability was assessed using the multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) method by RAPFISH, with the support of leverage analysis to identify sensitive factors and Monte Carlo to validate the results. The results of the economic valuation analysis show that the average tourist expenditure varies based on the origin of the region, with the total economic contribution of the region being more than Rp 9.5 trillion per year. These findings indicate that marine ecotourism has great economic value and potential to continue to increase. The results for the sustainability level for the study area indicated that the institutional (63.83), infrastructure (58.32), and economic (56.53) aspects were moderately sustainable, whereas the ecological (44.91) and social (45.26) aspects were less sustainable. These findings confirm the need for integrative policies that emphasize strengthening ecological and social aspects, accompanied by infrastructure and institutional support.