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Barefoot Conservation Science Report 2024

Introduction:

Barefoot Conservation is an Indonesian registered NGO (Yayasan Konservasi Jejak Kaki Indonesia: AHU-0004531.AH.01.04. Tahun 2018) working to conserve the unrivalled marine life of Raja Ampat, through monitoring, research and science training of the local community. Barefoot has been running since 2016 and has been collecting data on reef health, manta populations, marine debris and crown of thorns starfish for several years, providing invaluable long-term datasets of the ecosystem over time. Our scientific output is constantly evolving and expanding and we now have 11 science projects running in parallel. This report provides an update on the progress of 7 of our major science projects in 2025.

Our Science team at Barefoot currently consists of Project Scientist Reyhan Arifin (Jenderal Soedirman University), Project Scientist Mathilda Bates (James Cook University), Project Scientist Nikolai Madland Shorter (University of Cambridge), Science Officer Septya Putri (Jenderal Soedirman University) and the Head of Science Josie Chandler (James Cook University) who is working remotely from Australia. Our Head of Operations (Iris Uijttewaal), Dive Manager (Matt Perrodou), and Divemasters (Reven and Markus) are also heavily involved in the science projects. Other scientists who have been involved with the science at Barefoot during 2024 but are no longer working us are: Lena Pollett (Plymouth University), Max Kimble (Plymouth University), Corey Cathcart (Bournemouth University), Issy Inman (Swansea University). We also thank Erika Gress (James Cook University) for her involvement with Barefoot Science and dedication to the reefs of Raja Ampat during 2024.

Last year in 2023 we commenced new projects, most notably setting up a Coral Ecology and Bleaching Project and extensive cyanobacteria monitoring. This year in 2024 we have built upon these projects with the addition of installing temperature loggers and setting up new monitoring techniques such as large-scale photogrammetry, we have also started employing AI technologies into some of our data analysis (ReefCloud). In addition to Coral Bleaching Project expansion this year we have also included two new monitoring projects – monitoring  prevalence of coral-killing sponge (Terpios hoshinota) and monitoring coral spawning. This year has also seen new collaborations commence which we hope to build on further in 2025. All of these projects will be outlined in more detail within this report, including background, progress and goals for 2025.

We have continued to progress with the long-term data collection of Reef Check, hitting our monitoring targets each quarter and adding bonus sites to our data bank. We have also contributed to ongoing data collection within a wide variety of projects including marine debris, manta rays, black corals, crown-of-thorns starfish and more. However, with the emerging threats of marine heatwaves and deteriorating water quality becoming more and more problematic for this region, we have put the majority of our efforts into two focal projects this year: 1) Coral Ecology and Bleaching Project and the 2) Water Quality and Cyanobacteria Monitoring project.

One of the key projects we have been working towards this year has been monitoring the presence of cyanobacteria & macroalgae in the Dampier Strait, which we have recognised to be increasing dramatically in recent years. Rapid growth of cyanobacteria and macroalgae is an issue linked to nutrient pollution which is known to have caused significant irreversible damage to coral ecosystems in the Caribbean and other parts of the Indo-Pacific. This year we contracted water testing of key water quality parameters and have highlighted our concerns of poor water quality to BLUD UPTD during meetings and a separate water quality report. 

Unfortunately, in recent months we have witnessed a severe bleaching event unfold in the western side of the Dampier Strait, starting in November 2024. It was heartbreaking to observe mass bleaching at such magnificent reefs and unfortunately we have already witnessed some mortality of corals as a result of this event. In 2023 we had established a comprehensive coral bleaching monitoring programme for Raja Ampat, coordinated with NOAA Coral Reef Watch collaborators, and so we have been able to capture the event unfold and we continue to collect unprecedented data on this event into 2025. We continue to work with provincial government and other stakeholders on the status of Raja Ampat reefs and strive to inform management decisions in the region. 

All of the projects currently running at Barefoot Conservation, collect observational data only, and the results of the research remain within Indonesia. Correct permissions were sought from both Chief of Arborek Village, Bapa Juan Mambrasar , and Head of BLUD, Pak Safry, before commencing any of the projects mentioned in this report.

For any questions regarding the data, findings or projects mentioned in this report, please contact our Head of Science, Josie Chandler, via:- 

REPORTS (click links below)

Barefoot Conservation Science Progress Report 2024-2025 (English)