Quarterly Report Raja Ampat Project October 2024

Anne Van Den Boomen – Raja Ampat Project Manager

Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming 17 freshly graduated dive masters—each an outstanding dive professional with great ambitions for contributing to ocean conservation in their future careers. A huge thank you to the people who help make Raja such a special place: Jennifer Jackson, Matej Misev, Rhys Williams, Maria Trinidad, Charles Cohen, Derek Chapman, Martijn Moorlag, Zorka Cindric, Olivier Brunet, Marjorie Camara, James Edmiston, Matilda Avermann, Mia Johnston, Tyler Hollenbach, Juliette Deniau, Fiona Chui, and Kevin Raymond!

Maxs Marten – Program Coordinator and Marine Biologist

My name is Marten Maxs, though most people just call me Maxs. I was born in Nabire, Central Papua, and my passion for marine life has shaped much of my journey. I earned my bachelor’s degree in marine science from Sam Ratulangi University in 2021, and it was during my time there, in November 2017, that I first tried SCUBA diving. I went on to officially become a PADI Dive Master in January 2022, after completing the course in November 2021.  Recently, I finished my master’s degree in marine science from IPB University, and later joined the Indo Ocean Project (IOP) this year. As a Program Coordinator and Junior Marine Biologist at IOP, I oversee marine biology workshops, including those on fish identification, corals, sharks, and mangroves. I’m also involved in gathering scientific data, such as fish surveys, benthic assessments, and BRUV data, while also working on coral watch and coral restoration projects. Additionally, I help build relationships with the kids in Sarproken Village, fostering education and awareness about marine conservation.

Since I’ve been here, we’ve carried out Coral Watch three times. Unfortunately, the condition of some of the coral colonies we’ve been monitoring has deteriorated, and almost all of the tags we had attached are now damaged. To address this, we’re planning to install new tags on all the colonies and replace any that have died or are growing too close to one another. This should help improve the monitoring process of those corals. In our coral restoration efforts, we currently have two main sites. One is a nursery at 7 meters deep, using iron table racks and ropes, and the other is a restoration site at 15 meters, using poles and hexagons. There are 7 iron table racks in the nursery area, and in the restoration area, we’ve set up 4 hexagons and 9 poles. During our last census on October 3, 2024, we recorded a total of 1,328 nubbins in the nursery, with 446 being healthy, 49 growing faster than others, 15 experiencing bleaching, 338 showing partial bleaching, 304 that had died, 144 with partial mortality, and 32 that were diseased. In the restoration area, there were 106 nubbins on the hexagons, with 73 healthy, 10 growing faster, 1 bleaching, 17 with partial bleaching, 1 dead, and 4 with partial mortality. Additionally, on the poles, we found 129 nubbins, with 85 healthy, 2 growing faster, 2 experiencing partial bleaching, 7 that died, 30 with partial mortality, and 3 diseased. So far, coral growth in the deeper restoration site has been more successfully monitored than in the nursery area, which is promising for our long-term efforts.

We spotted a large Cowtail Stingray, which measured about 100 cm across. At first, some of us thought it was smaller, around 60-80 cm, and that sparked a lively debate, with Tyler particularly adamant it was bigger. We couldn’t agree on the size, and it became a bit of a heated discussion. Fortunately, on our second dive after the surface interval, we saw the stingray again, still resting in the same spot, and that’s when we all agreed it was indeed larger than we initially thought. It turned out we had been too far from it during the survey, which is why we underestimated its size.

So far, diving here has been an incredible experience with so many cool finds, from massive creatures to the tiniest ones. Ricky often manages to catch a Dugong on his drone camera, and we frequently spot bottlenose dolphins, whether we’re on the boat or just sitting by the jetty. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, tasselled wobbegongs, Napoleon wrasse, and giant moray eels are pretty common here. Some of us have even had the chance to see rarer creatures like giant guitarfish, epaulet sharks, spotted eagle rays, and cowtail stingrays. But it’s not just the big guys; small creatures like pygmy seahorses, Pontohi seahorses, and various nudibranchs are always a thrill to spot. There’s a certain pride that comes from finding something cool, especially when your group sees something like a giant guitarfish or a cowtail stingray that the others might miss. It’s like a little smug satisfaction when you know you’ve spotted something awesome before anyone else! But at the same time, there’s this shared joy when everyone gets to see something incredible together—especially if you’re the one who first spots it and gets to share the moment with everyone.

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We’re getting ready for our visit to Saporkren village to meet the little children there, and we’ve already reached out to the youth leader, Marthen. It’s pretty funny because his name is so similar to mine—just with an “H” at the end, and of course, “Marthen” isn’t my nickname! He responded really positively to our plans, which makes me feel confident that the kids will be excited about what we have in store. Our first visit is scheduled for Friday, October 25, and we’ve planned a fun and educational session. We’ll start by teaching them the alphabet, numbers, and some simple everyday phrases, then move on to sea and environmental vocabulary. After that, we’ll encourage them to practice their English by interacting with a few of the interns, and of course, we’ll throw in some fun activities like coloring and listening to songs. I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope this becomes a regular activity that we do twice a month!

Lois Alberto Sitohang – Research Assistant/Jr Marine Biologist

In the past few months starting from July 2024, we have dived against debris twice a month. Diving activities occur at the Scuba Republic House Reef and Upside Down (another pinnacle near the house reef). Diving activities are carried out during shore dives. The gathering point is on the deck and a briefing is held there. The equipment used is a mesh bag, gloves, and knives. Diving activities last a maximum of 60 minutes, then the weight of the waste will be weighed using a measuring instrument. Waste will also be separated into several parts according to their respective categories. Observation data will be uploaded to the diveagainstdebris.org website by Padi AWARE. In July, the amount of waste obtained was 2.44 kg, in August 1.75 kg and in September 0.49 kg. The activities always run smoothly without any obstacles or accidents

Benthic surveys are always carried out every month. The tools used are cameras, torches, and structures made of PVC pipes. Benthic surveys in Raja Ampat in July were carried out 5 times, in August 6 times, and in September 7 times. Benthic survey activities in Raja Ampat have always increed in terms of quantity and quality. Initially, the camera used was GoPro 7 black. Then it was replasaced with an Olympus TG 6 camera with a new, larger structure. The resulting images were more detailed but because of the complex contour of the coral reef, it returned to the old structure. Furthermore, GoPro 12 Black was used with better and more practical image quality.

IOP Raja Ampat also has a White tip nursery check activity. This activity aims to monitor the condition and behavior of juvenile white tip reef sharks around the Scuba Republic House Reef (precisely in Upside Down). The activity is carried out twice a month. The tools used are a camera (GoPro), attachment, and measurement stick. The activity begins with a briefing and role division. During the dive, the activity begins by finding the location of the juvenile whitetip reef shark. Then place the camera around the location for 30 minutes and then leave it. We also record other information such as depth, behavior, size, sex, and time. After 30 minutes, the camera is taken back and the recording results are watched together and their behavior is recorded. Previously there were 2 juvenile whitetip reef sharks in Upside Down. In several activities since August, the two juveniles have not been in their usual location, and several observations at other locations have also not been found. In the future, other activities will be carried out to replace this activity until the two juveniles are found again. It is hoped that the dive staff can do more detail in observing the entire location.

Riccardo Zini – Program Coordinator and Dive Instructor

Before diving begins, the students participate in a refresher session on land, where they are introduced to the tank and equipment area. We cover key topics, including basic physics and physiology, ensuring they understand the fundamentals of diving. Afterward, we go over the diving equipment, guide them through proper gear setup, review the buddy check system, and give a final briefing on essential skills before they head into the water.

Diving during the low season in Raja Ampat remains a wonderful experience thanks to fewer boats at the dive sites. This allows us to fully enjoy the beauty of the Dampier Strait without the usual traffic or underwater noise. While the monsoon season between June and September presented some navigation challenges, visibility has stayed excellent, and the weather has been steadily improving in recent weeks, making for exceptional dive conditions.

When the chance arises, we organize trips for the students around the Fam islands, where they can experience the stunning Piaynemo viewpoint, dive at Melissa’s Garden, and explore Batu Rufas lagoon. On our way back, we often stop at Arborek for a quick snorkel, and if time permits, we visit Sauwandarek to see the giant green sea turtles on the reef. Additionally, on days off, we’ve led birdwatching trips to Saporkren village, deep in the jungle, where we’ve spotted the elusive Red Bird of Paradise. Remarkably, we even witnessed a Winston Bird of Paradise on one of our outings. Now, with the birds migrating closer to our resort, there are excellent opportunities to see them, along with cockatoos and parrots, which photographers especially love.

A month ago, we organized an exciting trip to Friwen, where we had the rare opportunity to observe dugongs gracefully feeding in the seagrass at high tide, guided by a local village owner who is dedicated to protecting these gentle creatures. This experience not only highlighted the importance of conservation but also deepened the students’ appreciation for the marine environment. In addition to this unforgettable encounter, we also attempted to locate a wrecked plane on the east side of our house reef, which, if found, could potentially become a new dive site for our students to explore and study. Although our search was ultimately unsuccessful, the adventure itself was thrilling and filled with anticipation, sparking curiosity and enthusiasm among the students. Over the past few months, we have conducted several Knots/Search & Recovery workshops, which have proven highly beneficial for various rescue scenarios and coral restoration dives. Furthermore, the PPB workshop has significantly improved the buoyancy control of our less experienced students, enhancing their overall diving skills and boosting their confidence in the water as they prepare for more challenging dives.

Additionally, we completed six Leading Dives and Tides workshops, essential for understanding boat navigation and how currents influence the pinnacles and more challenging dive sites. We also explain the map of the large pinnacles, helping students grasp the topography and choose optimal dive sites. September was particularly successful for Citizen Science, with the help of Jaime, an intern, we uploaded 49 new animal IDs, including sharks, rays, mantas, and turtles. We even recorded a new manta ray ID named Kawan, marking a first for Raja Ampat.