By: Sanny Tri Utami (Bycatch & Sharks Conservation Assistant, WWF-Indonesia)

The start of WWF-Indonesia's program in Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi began with a survey of biota bycatch in net and fishing gear in the Southern-Eastern Sulawesi (SESS) seascape in 2015. From the survey, it was found that Selayar is one of the areas with high potential for bycatch of Endangered, Threatened, Protected (ETP) biota.

Starting 2017, a follow-up survey was conducted to determine the fishery characteristics and potential value of bycatch of Endangered, Threatened, Protected (ETP) biota in the Selayar Islands Regency. The Selayar Islands are a cluster of 130 islands with waters totaling 10,504 km².

Located south of Tanjung Bira, Makassar, the journey to Selayar can be made by boat from Bira or airplane from Makassar to Benteng, the district capital on Selayar Island, the largest of the islands.

Selayar is flanked by the Makassar Strait to the west and the Flores Sea to the east. Because of its elongated shape from north to south, Selayar fishermen are generally able to go to sea several times a day due to the close proximity of fishing grounds, around their villages.

They can almost go to sea all year round. During the eastern season, fishermen can go far out to the western waters. On the other hand, once they enter the west season, they can fish around the eastern shallow waters which are quite protected from strong winds.

The fishing gear (API) widely used by Selayar fishermen are nets, longlines and handlines. In particular, gill nets and longlines have a high potential for incidental catch of sea turtles.

The rich potential of Selayar's waters is characterized by how common it is for fishers to encounter ETP biota such as turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins and dugongs. The most common ETP biota found in these waters are turtles.

The waters west of Selayar and around Gusung Island are one of the most important habitats for sea turtles. Fishermen's awareness of sea turtles as protected animals is high enough to maintain sea turtle populations in Selayar waters. However, there is still a growing view that turtles are pests that often damage their nets.

"We just release the turtles from the nets," was a testimony we heard many times during the January 10-23, 2017 survey. The turtles were released without any handling of the turtle bycatch on the boat.

In fact, fishermen need to take the time to check the condition of the newly caught turtle, whether it is actively moving, unconscious, or dead. Thus, they can practice the best treatment, and improve the turtle's survival after being released again.

Currently, Selayar's fishermen may not consider handling turtles accidentally caught on boats important. However, WWF-Indonesia is paving the way towards fully assisting fishermen in practicing Better Management Practices (BMPs) for Turtle Bycatch Handling..