Scuba Diver Australasia + Ocean Planet
REEF SEEN DIVERS’ RESORT
In the early 1990s, local fishermen in Pemuteran, Bali collected aquarium fish by using destructive fishing methods such as cynide, dynamite, and tiger nets that took almost everything off the reefs. As the very first dive business in the area, Reef Seen Divers’ Resort felt deeply concerned about this unsustainable practice of fishing and initiated a conversation to discuss and educate fishermen on the importance of a healthy ecosystem and how they can participate in sustainable fishing practices.
To tackle the issue, the resort has been guiding and employing young local fishermen since 2005, teaching them safe dive techniques and, more importantly, inspiring them to maintain and protect the marine environment. Reef Seen Divers’ Resort also collaborates with the Pecalang Laut (Sea Patrol) to monitor fishing activities in the shallow part of Pemuteran Bay.
In October 2017, the resort successfully organised the first Reef Seen Conservation Week (RSCW). The event was the first of its kind, bringing together important players in the dive and resort industry as well as the local fishermen and youth. The event was important in facilitating a dialogue session, where the fisheries department held several panel discussions with local communities regarding the new fisheries regulations and updates on turtle conservation methods.
In 1992, the Turtle Hatchery was set up to protect sea turtles and their eggs in response to the cruel practice of turtle slaughtering in Bali. After 26 years, the area has seen a transformation – it is now mandatory for anyone who accidently catches a turtle or finds a turtle nest to inform Reef Seen
Divers’ Resort immediately. Individuals are rewarded with a small token, while fishermen are given a bigger compensation for the lost catch and damaged nets.
Reef Seen’s sustainable practices include the use of septic tank sewage treatment plants to treat waste through an oxygenated chamber. These effluents can be recycled for garden irrigation or absorbed into the ground without harming the environment. The resort also utilises solar panels to power their BioRock reef restoration project, Bio-Wreck.