The UK Government Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is supporting a new two year project to enable the customary sea guardians (Panglima Laot) protect 3,000 hectares of coral reefs off the coast of Pulau Weh.
Aceh Province in Sumatra, Indonesia harbours important marine and coastal habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds and their associated diversity of wildlife including many threatened species such as dugongs, pelagic and bigeye threshers; and green, leatherback and olive ridley turtles. This biodiversity is severely threatened by environmental change, natural disasters, pollution and unsustainable resource use. This project will develop a model for enabling community engagement and participation in, and benefits from, ecosystem-based management of Customary Marine Areas (CMAs) with stakeholders of the 3,000 hectare Mukim Paya CMA, on Weh Island (Sabang) for replication across Aceh.
