Protecting Raja Ampat, the most biodiverse place on earth

For centuries the pristine condition of the islands in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago was maintained by their remote location and adherence to traditional practices. But unsustainable fishing, increased tourism, and impacts of the pandemic now severely threaten this unique ecosystem.    

In its Dampier Strait marine protected area (MPA), a reduction in surveillance and enforcement has allowed illegal fishing and destructive tourism practices to increase, causing damage to ancient coral reefs and a decline in fauna such as sharks and mantas. The economic impact of the pandemic has also pushed local communities into unsustainable practices to sustain their livelihoods.  

Blue Marine is supplying rangers with speed boats, uniforms, communication, and visual recording devices. Integrating local staff, resort operators and governmental bodies, our mission is to curb illegal activities and create a framework for sustainable fishing and marine tourism.  We have also partnered with the Raja Ampat SEA Centre to advance science, education, and community-led conservation.

Replicating the successful enforcement model developed on Blue Marine projects in Türkiye, in 2025 we trained two new Papuan marine rangers, and built a new patrol vessel, allowing patrols to increase from three per month to six per week. Five Papuan dive guides graduated from the SEA Centre dive school programme, opening non-extractive livelihood pathways in diving and tourism. The team became Reef Check-certified and completed 16 surveys across 8,000 sq m, establishing vital baselines to monitor reef health.