NORTH SULAWESI, Indonesia — Remaining steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding natural resources in the Bangsamoro region, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) through its Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Research, and Development Services (BERDS) embarked on a 3-day Training on Marine Ecological Research and Management Aid (MERMAID) at Manado, North Sulawesi, on March 17-19.

The training activity, organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society, brought together marine enthusiasts, experts, government agencies, and academes. The MERMAID training focused on coral bleaching — a critical threat to reef ecosystems— has afforded the participants with enhanced understanding of coral ecosystems and take swift action to protect them.

During the 3-day training, MENRE, together with other participants, had a hands-on data collection quadrat (1m x 1m) underwater. They also explored the Fukui Dive Site and Lukuan Dive Site in Bunaken National Park, Monado, Indonesia, where they collected underwater data to identify different genera of corals as well as the condition and percent cover. Furthermore, the third day saw participants practice how to use or address the issue of coral bleaching based on the gathered data collected on two sites.

MERMAID is an online open-source platform for coral reef data developed in partnership between WCS, WWF, and Sparkgeo. It helps create transparency around coral reef health and empowers people and institutions with the data they need to take action to save reefs. MERMAID also makes data accessible to coastal communities, empowering people with the knowledge to manage resources sustainably and encourages collaboration and the sharing of data, fueling discoveries and rapid action for reef protection.

Participants from MENRE were Chief of Protected Area Management Division Joeffry L. Kamid, Ecosystem Management Specialist and Assistant Protected Area Superintendent (PASu) of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary (TIWS) Japrin L. Hadji-Amin, and Dr. Richard N. Muallil Vice Chancellor for Research of Mindanao State University, Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO).

The MENRE, through BERDS, continues to protect the natural resources in the region, particularly for TIWS, and to commit to gathering data through the MERMAID approaches. This would monitor the coral reef condition in the region, especially that coral reefs play a vital role because most of the communities are dependent on coastal resources.