The Jeen Womom Coastal Park in Tambrauw Regency reinforces its role as one of Eastern Indonesia's key strongholds for coastal conservation and sustainable management of marine resources. Through collaboration among government agencies, academia, civil society organizations, and Indigenous Peoples, efforts to strengthen sustainable fisheries governance are being advanced through the Baseline Study on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM), conducted from 7 to 19 June 2026.

MMAF, together with the University of Papua (UNIPA), PIONER Tanah Papua, and WWF-Indonesia Foundation's Papua Program, conducts the Baseline Study on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM), facilitated through funding from the GEF 6 CFI Indonesia grant, from 7–19 June 2026.

The study, facilitated by Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) in collaboration with the University of Papua (UNIPA), PIONER Tanah Papua, and WWF-Indonesia Foundation's Papua Program, was carried out in the villages of Resye, Womom, and Syukwo. The initiative is supported through the GEF-6 Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia Programme, implemented by MMAF in partnership with WWF-US as the GEF Agency.

Indigenous Peoples as Key Partners

One of the defining strengths of the study is the active participation of Indigenous Peoples from the outset. Prior to field data collection, the research team conducted a Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process in all three villages, ensuring that communities received complete information about the study's objectives, methods, and expected benefits before voluntarily providing their consent.

Participatory mapping conducted during Baseline Study on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Resye, Womom, and Syukwo villages, from 7 to 19 June 2026.

Following the FPIC process, Indigenous communities in Resye, Womom, and Syukwo formally expressed their support for the study within their customary territories, with the agreement documented in an official record endorsed by all parties.

Demianus Yesnath, Head of Resye Village, expressed his appreciation for the initiative, noting that the information generated through the study would provide an important foundation for future decision-making on coastal and marine resource management.

"We encourage community members to work closely with the research team by providing the information needed. We hope the data collected will be properly analysed and used as an important consideration in policymaking," he said.

Community members not only participated as respondents but are also directly involved in the data collection process. Each village appointed two local representatives to assist the research team throughout the fieldwork. One representative from each village also received specialized training in fisheries data collection, including standardized methods for measuring fish length and weight.

Beyond supporting the study itself, the process has strengthened local capacity and improved community understanding of the fisheries resources that underpin their livelihoods.

Collecting Data for a Better Future for the Oceans

In practice, the EAFM baseline study collected primary data across six key domains: social, economic, institutional, fisheries resources, habitat, and fishing technology. Information was gathered through interviews with community members and fishers, as well as participatory mapping to identify fishing grounds, catch composition, and patterns of marine space use.

Fisheries resource data collection during the Baseline Study Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Resye, Womom, and Syukwo villages, from 7 to 19 June 2026.

The research team also carried out ecological surveys at multiple monitoring sites to document coral reef fish communities, benthic organisms, coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and water quality. These data will provide an essential baseline for assessing ecosystem health and developing more effective, adaptive, and evidence-based fisheries management strategies.

The findings of the study will be presented to local authorities, indigenous communities, academia and other stakeholders as a basis for formulating more inclusive, participatory and sustainable policies for fisheries and coastal management.

Tambrauw: A Model of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management

Prof. Dr. Roni Bawole of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science at the University of Papua believes Tambrauw Regency occupies a uniquely strategic position as a living laboratory for implementing the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) across the Indo-Pacific region.

He explained that Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and the customary sasi management system have long served as effective mechanisms for sustaining coastal resources. Amid global challenges such as climate change, coastal ecosystem degradation, and growing pressure on fisheries resources, Tambrauw demonstrates that biodiversity conservation and community well-being can be advanced simultaneously.

"Sustainable fisheries depend not only on modern science and government policy, but equally on community participation, local institutions strengthening, the protection of key species, and effective collaboration among government, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders," he said.

Ecological surveys of key habitats and marine species conducted during the Baseline Study Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Resye, Womom, and Syukwo villages, 7–19 June 2026.

Support from GEF-6 CFI Indonesia

Adipati Rahmat, Project Manager of GEF-6 CFI Indonesia, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the programme's mandate to promote the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) as the primary framework for effective, integrated, and sustainable coastal fisheries management in Indonesia.

According to him, the Jeen Womom baseline study forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the management of marine protected areas while improving the effectiveness of coastal and marine resource governance.

"We facilitate this initiative to strengthen the management effectiveness of Jeen Womom Coastal Park by enhancing key components of protected area management assessment. Ultimately, our goal is to conserve marine ecosystems while improving the social and economic well-being of coastal communities," he said.

Through this baseline study, the stakeholders hope that Jeen Womom will serve as a model of good practice for ecosystem-based fisheries management in Indonesia. Supported by robust scientific evidence, meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, and strong multi-stakeholder collaboration, the initiative demonstrates that conserving marine ecosystems and improving community well-being are mutually reinforcing objectives that can be achieved together through effective and sustainable governance.