This section contains the results of a survey of a range of reefs across the National Park using the Reef Check methodology (10.2) and a habitat and photographic survey of the top dive sites in the National Park (10.3) for use by the Department of Tourism and the National Park authorities.

Introduction

In order to compare the diversity of the reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park with those elsewhere around the region the standardised survey methodology, Reef Check 2000 was used to survey a range of reefs across the archipelago. Reef Check is designed specifically for non specialists and concentrates on using non ambiguous indicator species or categories for assessments. The advantages of using Reef Check is that the work is standardised and can be compared across regions for comparative descriptions or assessments of coral reef status. Around 300 teams worldwide join in Reef Check, it is well publicised and results are available on the web. As well as conducting these baseline surveys, additional species specific identifications on reef fish and corals and some groups of invertebrates were gathered to give overall picture of the condition of reefs in the Wakatobi.

Coral Reef Scene ; Photo Adam Powell

The Reef Check web site www.reefcheck.org gives details of the methodology used. At each of the reef sites information is gathered from anecdotal, historical, geographical sources. Habitat data are collected using a 100m tape laid across the reef at two depth contours. The tape is divided into 4x20m non overlapping transects each separated by 5 metres. The habitat is recorded every 0.5m along the transect in non ambiguous general categories. Four replicates of each of these transects are used at each site. Fish counts of selected indicator groups are completed at every 5m along the transects stopping for 3mins at each point and counting fish within 2.5m either side of the transect line. Similarly, invertebrate indicators are counted in each segment in the same 5m band. More subjective assessments are taken of types of damage and general condition of reefs and identification of the source of threat from natural and anthropogenic sources. In addition to the baseline information collected using the Reef Check methodology, the Operation Wallacea staff team have also been compiling species lists where possible of coral, reef fish and invertebrates.

The data will be submitted to Reef Check for inclusion on global database and website enabling a comparison to be made between the sttus of the reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park and reefs elsewhere in the region.

A paper entitled The Status of Reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park will be produced by January 2001 by Sarah Curran from Operation Wallacea.

Introduction

The Indonesian Department of Tourism responsible for SE Sulawesi have requested that Operation Wallacea provide information and materials which can be used to promote the Wakatobi Marine National Park to future tourists. This project’s objective is to map the physical characteristics of some of the best dive sites in the Park.

Coral Arch ; Photo Adam Powell

Diving teams are split into two main groups recording benthic lifeforms and topography or looking at fish life and their behaviour. Benthic surveyors record topography, overall shape, direction and inclination of sites but also take into account key features of the main benthic life forms to be found there, such as giant sponges, ledges, caves and overhangs, etc along with details of marine organisms of special interest. Fish surveyors record the dominant fish species in an area and record their behaviour, i.e. feeding, movement interaction. Surveyors also put together a paragraph of personal impressions of the dive sites surveyed. Photographs of the reef are taken, maps drawn up and the information compiled. Over 60 volunteers have so far been on 12 expeditions completing some 850 dives mapping prime diving sites known in the Wakatobi Marine National Park. 23 dive sites have so far been completed including 9 sites around Hoga, 1 near Wangi Wangi , 4 around Kaledupa , 1 at remote Karang Kapota, 3 around Binongko and with the co-operation of Wakatobi Divers 5 sites have been mapped around the Tomia / Tolandono area. Benthic maps are used as a basis for an accurate illustration by an artist and benthic / topography descriptions are combined with fish behaviour descriptions to give an overall and concise description of the dive site.

Habitat maps for 23 sites have been produced together with photographs and dive features of note. The slower part of this work is completion of the artwork and to date 3 paintings have been completed with the rest scheduled for completion by April 2001.

A document on disc with scanned photographs, and descriptions of the dive site characteristics covering 30 of the best dive sites will be given to the Department of Tourism in Buton by November 2000 by Adam Powell. This data will also be included on the Operation Wallacea web site at;

www.opwall.com