Jakarta, Jan. 9 -- Indonesia has designated more than 325,000 hectares of West Wetar waters in Southwest Maluku District, Maluku Province, as a protected marine area aimed at preserving biodiversity and sustaining coastal communities.

The Director of Ecosystem Conservation at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Firdaus Agung, stated in a statement on Friday that the designation is part of the government's commitment to protecting high-value marine ecosystems in eastern Indonesia.

"The park in the West Wetar waters consists of a core zone covering 2,726.42 hectares, a limited-use zone covering 322,408.07 hectares, and other use zones covering 103.53 hectares. This zoning arrangement serves as the basis for measured conser...