Outcomes

This project leaves the Raja Ampat region with a strong foundation for marine planning and management efforts to support multiple uses of the ocean.

Decision Support Toolkit

The major decision support components from this project were:

• spatial information (i.e., spatial database and map viewer application)
• maps of coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitats
• maps of resource use
• maps of key species distribution
• maps of key species habitats (e.g., feeding and reproductive grounds)
• maps of candidate fishing and conservation areas for zoning within the MPA network
• plots illustrating the percentage of specific features included in candidate areas for fishing and conservation
• an example of zones for a MPA network to address multiple objectives

Network-wide Planning for MPAs

Zoning plans are close to being finalized and embedded in the management plan for the Raja Ampat MPA network. Ecosystem relationships and connectivity (ecological and social) among different MPAs have been considered as part of this network-wide planning. This project provided tools and approaches that support zoning at individual sites while also considering the MPA network as a whole.

Facilitating Multi-Objective Planning

Given Raja Ampat’s sociocultural background, many different management objectives need to be addressed under a common framework. The zoning that the region is undertaking holds great promise to fill this need. This project has helped lay the groundwork for multi-objective planning by facilitating open dialogue among sectors and identifying conflicts and means of co-existence. As the demand for new uses of marine space in Raja Ampat surges, the challenge of avoiding or managing conflicts among alternative uses will continue to increase. This project helped to meet this growing challenge by providing tools and activities that are integral to any zoning initiative, regardless of the scale and number of objectives.