Author: Qinthan Azzahra Aulia, Sr Marine Biolgist and Community Manager, Indo Ocean Foundation
I am truly honoured to have received this opportunity and to be part of this circle of conservation research fellows as a representative of the Indo Ocean Foundation. This is a recap of what I learned during the workshop and the vision that emerged for the future.
The workshop opened with presentations by Mr. Edy Setyawan from the Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia and Mr. Iqbal Herwata Putra from Konservasi Indonesia. The aim was to bring together individuals from various backgrounds and stakeholders to discuss potential research collaborations within the Lesser Sunda Seascape (LSS), spanning Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Our broader goal is to develop action plans and regulatory frameworks for the protection of migratory species.
On the first day, we introduced ourselves to each other, and I quickly noticed that most of the participants were senior scientists in the field of conservation. We were divided into three focus groups: elasmobranchs, sea turtles, and marine mammals.
Through group discussions, we identified knowledge gaps by sharing our past and ongoing research, including locations and species of interest. We discussed the reasons for protecting these species, which are primarily due to their threatened status. I joined the elasmobranch group because of my background in whale shark research and our current citizen science work involving elasmobranchs.
We also shared the challenges and threats we face in our research. It became clear that different species in different regions are affected by various threats. Our discussions were interactive and engaging, incorporating elements of games that required critical thinking to link various contributing factors. We compiled a list of data gaps related to species-specific information, ecological interactions, habitat use, human impacts, and the availability and robustness of existing studies (both published and ongoing). This “brainstorming” method helped us connect the importance of protecting these species with maintaining ecosystem balance and supporting local livelihoods.
On the second day, we delved deeper into species-specific issues and threat prioritisation. We focused on species such as whale sharks, thresher sharks, reef and oceanic manta rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, and spinetail devil rays. We created a fishbone diagram to map out the key threats, including fisheries, irresponsible tourism, and plastic pollution. Since our project area in the LSS is Nusa Penida, I contributed more specifically to reef manta rays (Mobula birostris), with a focus on the issues posed by irresponsible tourism. Besides, I was also had an opportunity to share our citizen science method through roving surveys, BRUVs, and Photo-ID that is aligned with this topic, by oral discussion and data sharing in Google Drive.
On the final day, each team created a priority results chain based on our fishbone map. This included our conservation goals, proposed research methodologies, short- and long-term impacts, opportunities for improving stakeholder collaboration, and immediate action steps. We also attended several presentations on the Regional Plan of Action for the LSS, relevant policies, and methodologies from the Coral Triangle Initiative, as well as input from the Head of Marine Resource Management and Spatial Planning of Timor-Leste. At the end of the day, each focus group presented their findings, and in the afternoon, we held a gallery walk where each group showcased their progress. This allowed us to understand the broader concerns in migratory species conservation across the LSS and provide feedback to each other.
This experience truly demonstrated what effective collaboration in conservation should look like, bringing together diverse stakeholders, from NGOs to government representatives, to share experiences and develop joint solutions. We learned that while Indonesia has made progress in collecting data on migratory species, challenges remain in mitigating threats and ensuring protection. In contrast, Timor-Leste has stronger protections in place but lacks sufficient research data. Since migratory species do not recognise national borders, our efforts must be united. This workshop marks an important step toward greater collaboration between our two countries to protect these vital species. Being in this circle is a great opportunity for IOF to advance the contribution of migratory species conservation.
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