Sea Sanctuaries Trust Indonesia

SST was founded in 2010 Raja Ampat, Indonesia by experienced conservationists to protect this fragile and highly diverse ecosystem by creating Sea Sanctuaries. Dive surveys by leading marine biologists Dr Gerry Allen and Dr Mark Erdmann at that time recorded the second highest ever fish count on a single dive anywhere in the world on the east coast of the island of Piaynemo, indicating its high biodiversity and the importance of protecting it. In 2012, SST was able to establish and manage a Marine Conservation Area of 60 000 hectares around the island of Piaynemo. This ‘no take zone’ was created to protect this highly diverse and unique ecosystem to allow the recruitment of commercial fish species to recover. Currently, Sea sanctuaries is focussing on marine plastic pollution.