Veronika Lamahoda who has consistently empowered communities for more than 30 years, does not plan on stopping at Bubu Atagamu. She wants to build sea barns in other coastal villages along the south side of Solor Island.
By
FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN
·6 minutes read
FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN
Veronika Lamahoda
Bomb explosions in the middle of the sea felt like a rejection of Veronika Lamahoda’s presence, a woman who intends to invite people to care for the coast. During that one day in May 2016, about 50 explosions were heard. These successive explosions only further fueled the woman’s enthusiasm to save the ecosystem.
Veronika, who goes by the name Vero, came to a coastal village called Bubu Atagamu village in South Solor district, East Flores regency, East Nusa Tenggara, after hearing that the coastal area on the borders of the Savu Sea had been a longtime haven for fish bombers.
After being greeted with a bomb blast, Vero asked one of her diving partners to take underwater pictures. “The damage was quite severe. The underwater hill was destroyed. Corals were broken and split like skulls,” she said while pointing to a video when met on Tuesday (11/4/2023) afternoon.
It turned out that damage could be found almost completely along the coast, repelling many marine biota. Tembang fish, which according to local residents used to be found on the coast, have disappeared. Fishermen are having an increasingly difficult time obtaining their catch. The future at sea is bleak.
Vero then met with the village administration and local community leaders to discuss the matter. She expressed her idea to protect the coast so it would recover and be as it was. The process of building this concept went on until they found a formula, which in the local Lamaholot language is called kebang lewa lolon.
By definition, kebang means barn, while lewa lolon means over the sea. In local culture, a barn is a place to store food for daily consumption. Food is stored for a certain period of time and cannot be taken.
We are trying to apply the concept of a barn on land at sea.
Thus far, the local community had only known of barns on land. The Lamaholot people had never heard of barns at sea. “We are trying to apply the concept of a barn on land at sea. This isn’t too difficult to implement because it has the same aim, namely to regulate food supplies to maintain them,” she said.
The concept of a sea barn does not conflict with local culture. In principle, what nature gives should not be consumed immediately. Some of what nature gives should be kept alive in order for it to multiply. Greed for nature’s gifts will lead to extinction. That is the law of nature humans must abide by.
Creating zones
Once they came to an agreement, they began the sea barn program. Several zones were created, which include the core zone, the buffer zone and the utilization zone. The worst affected location by bombs was determined as the core zone. This zone must not be touched at any time. Marine products are not allowed to be taken from there. Fishermen are prohibited from doing any activities there as well. That is the rule.
The buffer zone is located close to the core zone. The buffer zone is home to an abundance of fish and other marine biota from the core zone. Marine products in the buffer zone can be collected once a year at a mutually agreed time.
Meanwhile, the utilization zone is located in the outer circle and can be entered at any time.
These zones are marked with buoys. The core zone measures approximately 120 meters by 70 meters, the buffer zone is around 250 meters by 70 meters, while the utilization zone is unlimited. Every day, group members involved in this program monitor the area.
FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN
KM Tri Sakti sailed to Solor Island in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara on Monday (10/4/2023).
In order for the people to comply with the provisions in each zone, they drew up an agreement in the form of customary sanctions. For example, violators are threatened with the sanction of feeding the entire village community of 894 people. “The people themselves decided on the sanctions. We were not involved,” she explained.
Seven years after the barn was built, the aquatic ecosystem slowly began to change. The corals are recovering and the fish are getting bigger. Vero watched the sea with pride. The waters that were once scary because they were bombarded with bombs now serve as a peaceful home for all sea creatures.
Vero claimed that this achievement was not the result of her own efforts, but due to the support of various parties, such as the wider community, traditional leaders, religious leaders and the local village administration. Additionally, the program funding could not be done without the help of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund through the Indonesian Bird Foundation, an NGO that fights for natural preservation.
Reaping the benefits
Bubu Atagamu village head, Benediktus Basa Jawan, said many marine biota had returned to their long-abandoned coastal habitats. For example, tembang fish, napoleon fish, tuna, octopus and dolphins can now be found again. Their numbers are still small at the moment but are expected to continue to grow.
The recovery of the ecosystem has also led to economic benefits for local fishermen. To compare, in 2016, fishermen’s income per day averaged Rp 25,000. However, in 2023, some fishermen could earn up to Rp 150,000 per day. The increase in fishermen’s income indicates that the fish population in the waters are on the rise.
Benedict said the village administration and community were very grateful for Vero and the concept of a sea barn. The village will strengthen it with a positive law. This year, the village administration has budgeted Rp 15 million for making village regulations concerning sea barns. They have already begun consultations with the district administration.
Their big plans, continued Benedict, is to turn the sea barn into a marine tourism destination. They will introduce the struggle to restore coastal ecosystems and promote the diversity of marine life. At the moment, they have the advantage as this sea barn is the only one in East Flores regency.
Meanwhile, Vero, who has consistently empowered communities for more than 30 years, does not plan on stopping at Bubu Atagamu. She wants to build sea barns in other coastal villages along the south side of Solor Island, such as Lemanu and Kenere. Hopefully, these good intentions will be realized with ease. Let’s keep moving forward to build sea barns.
