Pantar Strait and Surrounding Waters Marine Nature Reserve
The Alor marine protected area (Alor MPA), formally called the Selat Pantar and Surrounding Waters Marine Nature Reserve (Suaka Alam Perairan [SAP] Selat Pantar dan Laut Sekitarnya), lies within Alor Regency in East Nusa Tenggara. It encompasses a highly diverse and productive marine environment shaped by annual upwelling and its location along the Indonesian Throughflow. The area supports extensive coral reef systems, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. At least 345 species of hard corals, 16 species of mangroves, and seven species of seagrass have been recorded here. Iconic and migratory marine species—such as blue whales, sperm whales, dugongs, whale sharks, thresher sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta rays, ocean sunfish (mola-mola), and various sea turtles—make this MPA a biodiversity hotspot.
Details
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Date Established |
Reserved by the Alor Government in 2006; Officially established by ministerial decree in 2015 |
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Hectares |
277,072.61 hectares; including 7,789 hectares of no-take zones |
Zoning Map
Over 70 dive sites offer varied topographies including walls, swim-throughs, and plateaus, providing opportunities for world-class scuba diving and snorkeling. Visitors can also engage in whale and dolphin watching, underwater photography, and mangrove exploration, and visit eco-friendly homestays managed by village enterprises. The Alor MPA is a foundation for Alor’s sustainable blue economy, supporting marine tourism, sustainable fisheries, and conservation education in conjunction with the Center of Excellence at Kalabahi University. In recent years, SAP Selat Pantar has become a hub for community-based participatory conservation initiatives, including marine mammal monitoring and traditional coral reef preservation practices.
Alor’s cultural richness is deeply integrated into marine conservation. Local communities maintain traditional practices like sasi and mulung, which impose seasonal closures and spatial restrictions to protect marine resources. The Dugong Calling Festival, organized by the Kabola Fishermen’s Communication Forum, illustrates the continued importance of customary knowledge and ritual in local stewardship. Since its establishment in 2015, the area has successfully reduced destructive activities and increased community awareness on marine protection.
Management of the Alor MPA emphasizes collaborative governance, combining biodiversity conservation with community empowerment and sustainable tourism. Stakeholders include the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Alor Regency Government, customary leaders, local communities, and NGOs such as WWF Indonesia and Yayasan PIKUL.
Community-based tourism groups in villages like Kabola, Pantee Deere, Munasely, and Aimoli have been supported to plan and manage their own ecotourism ventures. Management goals include enhancing human resource capacity, expanding economic opportunities, and ensuring long-term stewardship through inclusive and adaptive governance.