Antara News·Indonesia·Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 01:17 PM UTC

Indonesia trains teams to protect stranded marine mammals

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Kornelis K, Rahmad Nasution

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) held training in Kupang to strengthen marine mammal protection in conservation areas.

Joni Haryadi, head of the ministry's Marine and Fisheries Training Center, said here Thursday that protected marine mammals require proper handling procedures to ensure the safety of both animals and responders.

"Handling protected marine life requires the right knowledge, skills, and understanding of procedures. Through this training and module testing, we hope participants can apply what they learn and improve coordination when responding to cetacean incidents," he said.

The training and testing of the handling module aim to improve participants' ability to identify, monitor, handle, and document cetaceans, including stranded whales and dolphins, whether alive or dead, he said.

The exercise also tests a training module developed by the ministry, YKAN, BRIN, and conservation partners to guide responders and relevant agencies during field incidents.

Haryadi said strengthening these skills was particularly important for managing the Savu Sea National Marine Protected Area, which covers about 3.35 million hectares.

Established under Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministerial Decree No. 5/KEPMEN-KP/2014, the protected area serves as a habitat and migration route for various marine mammal species.

The Savu Sea, particularly the Savu Sea National Marine Protected Area, is a migration corridor for marine mammals, especially pygmy blue whales.

It is also part of Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lane III (ALKI III), where heavy ship traffic increases the risk of collisions with marine mammals.

Haryadi said participants learn about cetacean species and ecology, identification and monitoring techniques, procedures for handling stranded animals, and methods for recording, documenting, and reporting data.

Safety is also a priority because responses to stranded whales and dolphins must account for the animals' condition and local circumstances. Improper handling can worsen their condition and endanger residents and responders.

Muhammad Ilman, YKAN's marine program director, said better cetacean handling and data collection would support conservation-area management based on reliable data and collaboration.

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