In an effort to conserve marine mammals and sea turtles in the seawaters of South Bali, Yayasan Bali Bersih has established a central rehabilitation facility for marine mammals and sea turtles located in Serangan Sea. This initiative is supported by facilities and personnel, including floating net cages/seapen, veterinary doctors, marine technicians, security personnel, and administrative staff. Yayasan Bali Bersih has obtained a basic marine permit from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. This permit includes the Activity Space Utilization Suitability Agreement/PKKPRL Number B.470/MEN-KP/VI/2022, granting Yayasan Bali Bersih the right to use the approved marine area covering 0.24 hectares or 2.4 acres (60x40 m) located in Serangan Seawaters, with the obligation to preserve the surrounding natural environment. In addition, approvals in the form of Environmental Management Capability Statement/PKPLH Number B.21.660/3647/BID.P3K/DKLH from Bali Provincial Forestry and Environmental Office/DKLH Bali and Business Licensing for this activity have also been granted.
The construction project for the rehabilitation center for marine mammals and sea turtles in Serangan Sea is carried out in several stages. First, the seapen is relocated from Sumberkima Sea to Serangan Sea. The relocation stage begins with the removal of moorings attached to the seapen. It is followed by the removal of wooden frames and iron pipes. The 15x30 m buoy and wooden boards are then pulled using a traditional fishing boat to the Sumberkima Beach. Subsequently, the wooden and buoy materials are dismantled and transported to the land. These items are then transported by truck to Mertasari Beach for further processing.
After the relocation stage is completed, the seapen is reassembled at Mertasari Beach. This process involves the assembly of wooden frames and buoys to form the original 15x30 m size, the creation of new moorings, the installation of wooden fences, and the knitting of new nets. Once all of these tasks are completed, the seapen is ready to be moved to the designated location in Serangan Sea as per the PKKPRL permit. Monitoring during this work is crucial to ensure its proper condition.
Yayasan Bali Bersih has successfully carried out the relocation of the seapen from Mertasari Beach to Serangan Sea for the marine mammal and sea turtle rehabilitation project with proper and responsible procedures. The presence of the seapen in the waters of South Bali is expected to contribute to marine ecosystem conservation through the rehabilitation of marine mammals and sea turtles before their release back into the wild. The next steps in this project will be closely monitored and executed in accordance with the applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
It's worth noting that the seapen was donated by the Yayasan Jaringan Satwa Indonesia/Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Dolphin Project through a handover of seapen materials, as documented in Letter Number 275/YJSI-DP/VIII/2023. This initiative also wouldn't be possible without the funds gathered from KitaBisa Team, Ocean Mata, and donors through a campaign for the conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles. You can support us in carrying out this excellent initiative for the preservation of marine mammals and sea turtles by visiting westerlakenfoundation.org/donation.