Thresher Shark Indonesia Project Phase 2
Project Leader
Thresher shark mortality has dropped more than 80% since the initial intervention
Fishers have now embraced the new alternative livelihoods, such as focusing on tuna and red snapper sustainable fisheries, starting a small kiosk, chicken farm and land-based business. This success was made possible because of the incentives of the provision for better and safer boats, the bigger capacity of the engine, capital to start businesses, and a series of capacity-building. The fishers have signed a formal agreement between Thresher Shark Indonesia and the village government to 100% stop thresher shark fisheries, including the obligation to release the sharks when accidentally caught as bycatch. With the key fishers are now moved away from shark fishing, we recorded that shark mortality has dropped more than 80% since the initial intervention in August 2021.
PROJECT LEADER
Rafid Shidqi and Dewi Ratna Sari
Rafid and Dewi co-founded Thresher Shark Indonesia in 2018, combining their scientific expertise and shared passion for marine conservation. Rafid is an interdisciplinary scientist focused on shark and ray ecology and balancing conservation with community livelihoods. He leads the organization’s operations and partnerships and is currently pursuing a PhD in Marine Science and Conservation at Duke University.
Dewi, with a background in chemistry and a Master’s in Environmental Management from the University of Queensland, oversees internal management, team development, and organizational growth. She also works with WRI Indonesia as the Nature-Based Solutions Manager, where she leads research and projects linking ecosystem restoration with climate finance and practical solutions.
Together, they drive Thresher Shark Indonesia’s mission to protect marine biodiversity while supporting coastal communities.
Advancing Thresher Shark Conservation in Alor, Indonesia
These successes have increased our organization’s trust and credibility among the government and stakeholders that we worked with. There is now demand and momentum to continue marine conservation initiatives through our project to help the government of Alor and communities in achieving sustainable marine conservation. Especially, pioneering the protection of the pelagic thresher sharks in Indonesia.
Thresher sharks are now included within the new Alor MPA zoning. As a response to this, we need to assist the process of the establishment so it can be officially enacted by the Indonesian Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Affairs (MMAF). We need to ensure that layers of additional policies and field activities are in place to complement the regulation.
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