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  • 06 Jul 2023

Commemorating World Sea Turtle Day: CTI-CFF Supports the 2023 Indonesia Sea Turtle Symposium

The Directorate of Marine Conservation and Biodiversity, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, in collaboration with WWF Indonesia and the Taka Indonesia Foundation, and supported by CTI-CFF, organized the “2023 Indonesia Sea Turtle Symposium and the Greater Coral Triangle Region” (June 14–15) in Jakarta. The symposium featured 69 oral presentations and 14 poster presentations.

Sea turtles face significant threats within the Coral Triangle region, making them among the most vulnerable marine species. Their survival is jeopardized by poaching, habitat loss, and unintentional capture in fishing gear as bycatch. Given their migratory nature, protecting sea turtles requires multilateral partnerships and transboundary commitments.


Dr. Mohd. Kushairi bin Mohd. Rajuddin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat, delivered opening remarks through Mr. Michael Tampongangoy, stating: “Through our collaborative efforts, we strive to strengthen the protection of sea turtles by addressing the multifaceted challenges they face. Under the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) 2.0, CTI-CFF has identified key actions and strategies to mitigate the various threats to sea turtles and promote their long-term survival. These actions include habitat conservation and restoration, sustainable fisheries management, strengthening legislation and enforcement, community engagement and awareness, and research and monitoring.”

The Sea Turtle Symposium brings together various stakeholders, including academics and technical management units, to consolidate locally scattered scientific data and assess the progress of turtle management and population status in the Coral Triangle region over the past 20 years. This effort aims to enhance the effectiveness of national-scale turtle management and conservation using the E-PANJI (Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Management of Protected and/or Endangered Fish Species) standard guidelines.

Some of the key topics discussed at the symposium included the dissemination of the National Action Plan for Turtle Conservation in Indonesia 2022–2024, Technical Guidance for Handling Bycatch and Stranded Turtles, a workshop on the 20-year development of turtle conservation in Indonesia and the broader region, and a meeting of the ShellBank and Asia-Pacific Sea Turtle Genetics Working Group.

Following the symposium, an in-person meeting of the Threatened Species Working Group was held. The meeting focused on finalizing the 2023 workplan in accordance with SOM-17 recommendations, as well as facilitating knowledge sharing among CT6 countries through discussions on current issues, lessons learned, and future projections for sea turtle conservation in the region.