Sharing Marine Roles in Jailolo’s ‘Mouth’

The narrow mouth of Jailolo Bay is home to a complex marine ecosystem that consists of the reefs, polyps and beautiful coral cover.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

Pastofiri Islet in Jailolo Bay, West Halmahera, on Wednesday (26/7).

The narrow mouth of Jailolo Bay in North Maluku is home to a complex marine ecosystem that consists of the reefs around Pastofiri Island, the polyps in the waters of Babua Island and the beautiful coral cover of Rumah Merah. All come together in the mutually complementary Jailolo Bay ecosystem.

It is strongly believed that Rumah Merah, 80 percent of which is covered with coral and has been given “very good” status based on the criteria of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), is a source of coral larvae. The current in the bay then spreads the larvae throughout the area and even beyond, towards Ternate or even further and across the seas.