Shark tagging workshop for fishers in Aceh Jaya aims to understand the trade-off between species protection and fishers' livelihood. A workshop about the applications of 5G and P-SAT tags and how to get data from the tags. It’s a great initiative that will hopefully lead to a better understanding of how to protect marine life while also supporting local communities.

Our initial program, which was focused on the conservation of sharks and rays in Aceh Province, began with a visit to PPS Kutaraja Lampulo, the largest fishing port in Sumatra. Sharks and rays were frequently caught as bycatch from various fisheries at this location. We identified several species of sharks, including Hammerhead, Tiger, Silky, Thresher, and many others.

Community-based conservation is a powerful approach to get actual conditions in the field. During a recent visit to Southwest Aceh, stakeholder representatives were approached to gather basic information on shark and ray fisheries. In the coming months, a comprehensive information gathering will be conducted to develop an incentive program in shark fisheries and biology study.