The reef health index for coral reefs management in Indonesia

Abstract

The Indonesian coral reef faced significant challenges due to the lack of precise instruments for assessing the health status of corals, which is crucial for ensuring their long-term viability. The reef health index was established by utilizing extensive monitoring data from Indonesia, incorporating metrics such as live coral cover, resilience level, and biomass of the focal reef fish species. In the year 2021, a comprehensive collection of coral reef data was conducted at 22 distinct places within the waters of Indonesia. It is anticipated that the reef health index data will assist stakeholders in effectively and sustainably managing coral reefs. The findings indicate that the reef health index in Indonesia exhibits a range of values from 2 to 7, with 7 being the highest attainable score. Since observations began in 2014, the Indonesian reef health index has maintained a stable value of 5. The available evidence suggests that there is an ongoing occurrence of coral reef degradation in Indonesian waters, as seen by the diminished biomass of the targeted reef fish species. Nevertheless, the potential for recovery of damaged coral reefs exists if the forces that initiate the damage can be mitigated or eradicated.