Ocean Blue Tree Ocean News - Savu Sea Expedition Part 1

By Made Abiyoga Udaya (Abi), Thrive Conservation

The southern boundary of the Savu Sea - a wild and remote region in Indonesia only few have explored, especially beneath the surface. Rolling sets of oceanic waves carried from the vast Indian Ocean, and strong currents formed by the Indonesian Throughflow makes for some unchartered territories.

Fishermen regularly brave these waters in search of their catch, but the exposed nature of the region has limited scientific studies, especially for sharks and rays (elasmobranchs). Unfortunately, shark and ray fisheries still operate within the Savu Sea, and appropriate regulations to protect these vulnerable species can only be developed with concrete evidence and credible data on species presence.

Therefore, our Thrive Conservation team embarked on an expedition to explore the Savu Sea’s southern boundary and conduct a rapid assessment (RAP) of the local marine biodiversity, with a strong focus on elasmobranchs. It was our goal that the data collected would be shared with the local Marine Protected Area management authority, in support of developing effective, region-specific conservation measures in this overlooked region.

Striking out on a mission to discover the sharks and rays of this area was never intended to be easy. Due to the exploratory nature of this expedition, we had no concrete knowledge or reference points for the area - only advice and word-of-mouth from the local people and long-term expatriates. On the first day, we landed on the island of Sumba and quickly boarded our boat and home for the next 2-weeks. No time was wasted, and it was on. During the first dive, the gear check dive, our team split into two and headed into separate directions.

After gently drifting for over 30 minutes, my group encountered a large table coral around 2.5 meters in diameter, and underneath it a large group of maskrays (Neotrygon australiae) and a couple of whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus). Some may call it luck, but we would like to consider it a good omen - a gentle greeting from the local elasmobranchs.

The following days, the adaptability of our plans were tested as the oceanic conditions took a turn to be at odds with our favor. Poor visibility, strong surges, choppy waves, and the edge of a cyclone called for readjustments to our approach. With our time at sea limited to 14 days, it was a matter of being at the right place and at the right time. Stating our priorities was a balancing act as the pressure was on to collect sufficient elasmobranch data while maintaining the safety of the team. Our eyes were always on the lookout; underwater, on the surface, and from the air.

The patience paid off, and with every window of clear weather, the search was on. Time does not wait on the survival or extinction of species, so it was crucial to pour our focus on the objectives that we had set to achieve, ultimately, learning as much as possible about elasmobranchs, their habitat and the threats that are impacting them in this overlooked but important region.

Stay tuned for part 2 of our Savu Sea Expedition next month.