Rules & Regulations

General Marine Park Use

In order to ensure that Raja Ampat Marine Park is managed sustainably, all individuals and organisations must abide by the relevant laws, regulations and Codes of Conduct. By doing so, the rich reefs and plentiful seas within the Marine Park can continue to provide food security for local communities, support fisheries, tourism, and the many thousands of connected livelihoods.

Please refer to the below Regulations that support the sustainable use and management of Raja Ampat Marine Park.

Permits

Tourists and Visitors

All tourists and visitors are required to purchase their Marine Park Entry Card prior to entering.

All Vessels

All Vessels (commercial and reacreational) must ensure they have the operational permits relevant to their activities within the Marine Park.

Zoning

Each Marine Protected Area contains specific Zones with rules that define the activities that are permitted, the activities that are prohibited, and the activities that require a permit. All individuals and organisations must abide by Marine Park Zoning Regulation.

Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited and considered violations against Raja Ampat Marine Park legislation (see Legal Framework for full details). Conducting any of the below listed activities and will result action against the perpetrator(s).

Protected Species

Raja Ampat Regency is a Shark Sanctuary, and all sharks are protected within its waters. The Marine Park also offers protection to a number ecologically and economically important ocean species including (but is not limited to) sawfish, guitarfish, wedgefish, shovelnose rays, mobular rays, cownose rays, devil rays, eagle rays, bull nose, mobular, bull ray, marble ray, and all marine mammals.

Both species of Manta Ray (M. birostris and M. alfrediei), and all species of Sea Turtle also receive full protection status under the law of the Republic of Indonesia.

Click Here for a full list of Protected Species

With respect to species listed as protected, any and all persons are prohibited to:

Catch, injure, kill, keep, posses, care for, transport and trade in a protected animal species in a live condition.
Keep, posses, care for, transport and trade in a protected animal species in dead condition.
Transfer a protected animal species from one place to another, both inside and outside Indonesian borders
Trade, keep or posses skin, bodies or other parts of a protected animal, or goods made of parts of the animal, or transfer from one place in Indonesia to another, within or outside Indonesia.
Take, destroy, exterminate, trade, keep, or posses eggs and/or a nest of a protected animal.

Violation of Sasi (Traditional Resource Management Zone)

Local communities in Raja Ampat practice ‘sasi’ as a means to sustainably manage natural resources. With respect to the sea, this can be opening and closing access to certain areas for fishing, and/or restricting or limiting specific activities.

All Local Community sasi’s must be respected.

Littering: Rubbish and Trash

Littering in any form is forbidden. This includes the unsuitable disposal of rubbish by not using bins provided, burying, dropping or leaving rubbish on land, dropping or dumping rubbish in the sea or any other waterways.

Damaging ecosystems or any other marine life

Damaging ecosystems or any other marine life is forbidden. This includes handling, harming or harassing marine life, or any willful or unintentional damage to any ecosystem within the park.

Spearfishing

It is prohibited for any Tourists or visitors to the Marine Park to be fishing with the use of a spear or equivalent for any purpose. CHECK THIS AGAINST NEW ZONING LAWS!

Coral Mining

The removal of live corals from the water for uses including (but not limited to) bricks, road fill, cement or other construction material is forbidden.

Introduction of foreign biota

The introduction to Raja Ampat of any foreign species, plant or animal, that are not native to Raja Ampat Regency is forbidden.

Conducting Research without permit

Conducting scientific research without the required permits from relevant authorities.

Destructive and Unsustainable Fishing

Blast Fishing: the use of explosives to stun or kill schools of fish

Cyanide Fishing: spraying sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide into marine habitats in order to stun and catch fish or other marine species.

Compressor Fishing: divers using breathing hoses attached to a surface air compressor in order to collect fish or other marine species

Bagan Fishing: using boats with large nets and lights suspended underneath, to attract and catch large numbers of fish.

Trawler Fishing: actively dragging or pulling a trawl net through the water behind one or more trawlers, at either seabed, mid-water or specified depth.

Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs): Using floating objects (buoys, rafts attached to ocean floor) that are designed and strategically placed to attract pelagic fish.

Longline Fishing: Use of a long fishing line (main line) with multiple baited hooks attached at intervals.

Purse Sein Fishing: Using purse sein fishing techniques; a large wall of netting deployed to capture an entire area or school of fish

Other nets*: Use of muroami and gill nets.
*Traditional bubu is permitted, with regulated quota’s and in accordance with Zoning Regulation

Spearfishing with Scuba diving equipment:

Ornamental Fish: the capture of any fish with the intention to use or sell for ornamental purposes

Capture of Protected Species: the capture of any species listed as protected in Raja Ampat Marine Park, Raja Ampat Regency, or under provincial or national law.

Catching Crabs and Ebi(?) (REMOVE?): is not permitted in Core Zones, No Take Zones and Shipping Zones. *Catching crabs is permitted is permitted by in Sustainable Fishing Zones, in accordance with Zoning Regulation and any other relevant regulation)

Bameti*: the collection of fish, molluscs and crustaceans from reef flats at low tide. (REMOVE??)
*Bameti is permitted by local community members in Sustainable Fishing Zones, but must not use any tools and methods that can damage coral reefs. It is not permitted in Core Zones and No Take Zones.

Unsustainable or Damaging Fishing Practice: any fishing practice that endangers sustainability of natural resources

Violation of SASI: willful or unintentional fishing activities or use of marine resources within a SASI subzone

Breaking Zoning: conducting activities that breach regulations specific to Zones identified zones (No Go Zones, No Take Zones, Traditional Use Zones, SASI Subzones)

Damaging Coral

Damaging coral in any way is forbidden. This includes damage caused by stepping or walking on coral and coral reefs, cutting, moving or removing coral, boat strike or anchor damage to coral reefs, grafitti, defacing or writing on coral, or any other form of behavior that results in damage or destruction of coral.

Feeding fish or any other marine life

Feeding fish or any other marine life is a prohibited activity within the marine park. CONFIRM AGAINST ZONING PLAN!

Jetskis and Motorised Water Sports

It is prohibited to use jet-skis or any form of motorized water sport within the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Collecting and removal of natural objects

The collection of natural objects (marine or terrestrial, living or dead), such as shells, fish, seahorses, coral or wood, for intended removal from Raja Ampat or Indonesia is prohibited within Raja Ampat Marine Park.

Mangrove Felling

The cutting or removal of mangroves is forbidden.

Sand Mining

The extraction of sand from beaches, sea bed or any other location, for use in manufacturing or construction is forbidden.