Coral restoration project, island of Gili Asahan, Indonesia

In 2023, along the coastline of Gili Asahan, we discovered underwater slopes covered in loose coral rubble, unsuitable for coral growth. To address this, we stabilized the slopes using galvanized steel mesh securely pinned to the seafloor. Corals of opportunity, collected from the rubble, are attached to the mesh. In November, we trained our partner Indonesia Biru Foundation, whose skilled team quickly adopted this method and now implements it biweekly with the local community. Over time, the mesh becomes overgrown with coral, forming a vibrant reef, while the steel naturally rusts away.

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Protection of elasmobranch (=sharks, rays, skates), Kenya

The 1st part of our elasmobranch conservation project has come to an end in Kenya and we are preparing for the 2nd phase. In last year’s training sessions we found the fishers are very aware of declining elasmobranch populations. Yet, only a minority grasped the ecological ramifications of the declines. The fishers are ready for the 2nd part of the program, seem willing to change and feel the need for long-term support in conservation initiatives. Our 4 local partner NGOs gave us valuable feedback to develop the 2nd phase. All partners are eager to continue the program for students and fishers in 2025.

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Protection of elasmobranch, Lombok, Indonesia

Following our success in Kenya, we recently launched an elasmobranch conservation program in East Lombok. Partnering with Indonesia Biru Foundation we secured permits for school and fisher education sessions. In November, we visited a local fish market - a shocking scene where sharks are openly landed and finned for the Chinese shark fin soup. Large sharks are caught for specialized buyers, while small-scale fishers land juvenile sharks, guitarfish, and rays. An illegal shark fin trade further exacerbates the issue. Raising awareness and finding alternative incomes for fishers is a massive challenge, but this market underscores again the urgency of our work.

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Mangrove restoration, Cemare (Lombok), Indonesia

Last November we visited our project in Cemare and were inspired by the progress. Since April 2024 extensive areas of mangrove forest have been cleaned. A waste management system is now in place, supporting almost 200 households that live inside the mangrove area. Daily awareness sessions with the local community are being conducted. 2,500 mangrove seedlings have been planted, breathing new life into the forest, with another 2,500 set to be planted before April. We explored ways to involve more households in the waste management system and enhance the efficiency of the new sorting station. Before our project most of the local household waste ended up in the mangroves. Our efforts are bringing the community closer to a cleaner, healthier mangrove forest and a more sustainable future.

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Sharks and rays in our artificial reefs!

During our visit to Bali last November, we observed something remarkable. Whitetip reef sharks and bluespotted stingrays have made homes in the artificial reefs we deployed - a promising sign of reef health and the cherry on top of our conservation work cake!

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SEE YOU AGAIN IN APRIL!

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