FISHERIES REFUGIA PROFILE OF WEST KALIMANTAN PROVINCE

This report is under the SEAFDEC/UNEP/GEF Project on “Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand”The West Kalimantan waters are part of the South China Sea (SCS) (Fisheries Management Area 711) and have a potential habitat for penaeid shrimp (shrimp from the Penaeidea family). The high economic valuable shrimp species inhabit West Kalimantan marine water including banana shrimp (Penaeus merguiensis) and white shrimp (Penaeus indicus. Penaeid shrimps known as a leading commodity in Indonesian fishery export product. Around 70% of shrimp production comes from fishing at sea. Around 70% of shrimp production comes from fishing activities at sea. The domestic and export market demand for Penaeid shrimp continues to increase every year, thus encouraging increased fishing efforts. The status of the utilization level of Penaeid shrimp in fisheries management area (FMA) 711 is 0.6 (fully exploited). The threats to the shrimp fisheries in West Kalimantan are uncontrolled and destructive fishing methods and gears, the conversion of mangrove land to oil palm plantations, and the utilization of mangrove wood for human activities. Therefore, the effective management efforts towards fisheries refugia approach are needed to overcome the stocks decline and maintain sustainability in the futureUNEP/GE