Jakarta, Feb. 14 -- The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia has strengthened its commitment to conserving marine ecosystems by adding two new conservation areas in the waters of Bintan of Riau Islands, and Bitung of North Sulawesi province.
Director general of marine and marine space management at the ministry Victor Gustaaf Manoppo was quoted by local media as saying in a statement released on February 13 that conservation areas play an important role in protecting the marine ecosystem, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests, as well as supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism.
The new conservation area in Bintan measures nearly 843,610 hectares and comprises the core zone, limited utilisation...