The Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve in Patuhu village, Rangangan, Pohuwato regency, Gorontalo, is becoming increasingly degraded as almost the entire mangrove conservation area has been converted into an aquaculture area, aimed at fish and shrimp farming.



Rahman Dako from Tomini Bay Sustainable Coastal and Livelihood Management (SUSCLAM), an NGO focusing on mangrove conservation and coastal community empowerment, said the opening of fish farms in the Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve had taken place on a massive scale for a long time.



“Of the 3,000 hectares making up the Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve, only around 600 hectares remain intact, as the remainder have been converted into aquaculture areas,” Rahman said, adding that Tanjung Panjang played an important role as a buffer area and sustainable coastal ecosystem for Tomini Bay.



Mangrove forests have diverse ecol...