Background

While Indonesia is surrounded by abundant and rich marine resources, there is a wide gap on the knowledge of the general public regarding the current condition and benefits of sustainable use of these resources. The Public Awareness Component of COREMAP II aims to promote a new awareness that will change the behavior of policy and decision-makers as well as resource users for better management and utilization of marine resources. It will address the urgent need of making the various sectors of the Public Awareness apathy of some sectors on the unsustainable use and destruction
of these resources.

Indicators

• Training / local awareness campaign conducted annually for target groups in program districts and coastal villages.
• Advocacies conducted through the use of mass media on coral reef conservation and community based management in 6 program districts.
• PA facilities such as video camera, video projectors and computers provided in each program district to document COREMAP II activities.
• Stakeholders willing to participate in sustainable management of coral reef ecosystems increased by 20% from the baseline survey.

Strategies

• Public Awareness component should to be complemented by Program Communication Support.
• Campaigns should be crafted to illustrate a direct benefit between coral reef health and sustainable fisheries production to motivate responsible management of coral reefs and related ecosystems, decrease incidence of poverty in program areas and improve community welfare.
• Materials should be focused on outcomes of behavioral changes (i.e., from destructive to environmentally friendly fishing techniques; stoppage of use of corals as building materials)
  in key target groups at district and village levels (e.g., fishers, resource users, decision makers, etc.) rather than general awareness campaigns.
• New and interesting materials should be designed for distribution through a range of media.
• Carefully tailored messages through selected channels should be developed to reach specific target groups (e.g., fish bombers, cyanide users, construction builders) based on backgrounds and interests.
• Materials should be largely created and produced at the districts with support, as needed, from the national level.
• Production of materials should be based on local interests/ issues.
• Themes should reflect images of the province, emphasizing the main issues at the COREMAP District within the Province.