The 8th ICFAES 2026 Resilient Aquatic Ecosystems in the Era of Climate Change

Scientific concepts, discoveries, and nature phenomena presented

1) Climate change impacts on coastal sea level (altimetry + inundation risk)

• Sea level rise and coastal hazards were discussed as a long-term threat to low-lying coasts, leading to:
  • Permanent land loss / chronic flooding (contrasted with temporary inundation from events like tsunamis)
  • Risks to marine ecosystems, infrastructure, and population relocation

Key measurement concepts

• Global mean sea level as a background trend, versus
• Relative sea level / inundation as the critical metric for coastal impact
• Land motion can amplify or reduce local sea-level rise effects

Observational methods

• Ground-based tide gauges
  • Often sparse and focused on coastal ports
  • Incomplete global coastal coverage
• Satellite radar altimetry
  • Measures the distance to the sea surface
  • Uses merged missions to build long time series
• GPS to estimate land motion
• A combined/integrated approach to account for sea level + land change (rather than treating them separately)

Sea level rise trend (satellite-based, intercalibrated)

• Trend acceleration described:
  • Earlier ~3.2 mm/yr
  • Later ~4.8 mm/yr
  • Ongoing increase to ~5 mm/yr at the time of presentation
• Scenario magnitude was addressed, including extreme possibilities from large ice-melt contributions
• Discussion included what such scenarios could mean for specific locations (e.g., flooding levels relative to landmark elevations)

Need for coastal-resolution improvement

• Satellite maps may under-resolve nearshore gradients (e.g., coarse ~7 km grid)
• Work described to reprocess coastal altimetry and improve near-coast algorithms
• Capability described to enhance resolution from ~5–10 km down to <5 km with acceptable accuracy

Ecosystem examples linked to sea-level change

• Coral reef degradation
  • Driven by inundation stress
  • Illustrated using an El Niño-related event and comparisons between altimetry-based water level changes and local tide-gauge data
• Drowning risk / reduced coral vertical growth potential
  • Coral accretion (growth) vs. increasing sea level
  • A threshold reported around ~5.3 mm/yr, above which survival probability declines strongly (reported as >90% probability of not sustaining vertical growth)

Regional focus

• Southeast Asia emphasized as highly vulnerable due to:
  • Extensive variable coastline
  • Low-elevation land
  • Vast coastal ecosystems
• Importance of combining global drivers (warming, melting) with local factors (circulation, land motion, coastal morphology)

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2) Marine protected areas (MPAs), illegal fishing, and compliance dynamics (human–ecosystem interaction)

• Focus on pelagic mega-fauna and conservation (e.g., sharks, fish, dolphins, seabirds)
• Effectiveness of large remote no-take MPAs depends strongly on compliance, not just designation

Monitoring technologies

• BRUVs (baited remote underwater visual systems)
  • Stereo cameras to estimate species presence and body size
  • Deployed in pelagic and benthic habitats (including suspended rigs/off-buoy deployments)
• Video-based observations to track fish/shark communities and changes over time

Ecological pattern described

• Largest individuals found in fully protected/inaccessible areas
• When fishing access opens, the size-structure signal attenuates (especially in pelagic habitats)

Illegal fishing drivers and fleet differences

• Example region: Chagos Archipelago, a no-take marine protected area
• Fleet differences:
  • One fleet type primarily targets sharks
  • Another targets a broader range
• Distance/proximity constraints shape where vessels operate

COVID-19 as a socioecological shock

• Enforcement constraints (e.g., patrol boarding restrictions) corresponded with a large spike in illegal fishing (described as ~20-fold)
• Question raised: why some fleets surged more than others

Governance vs. fleet-state influence

• Using AIS plus governance indicators, analysis suggested:
  • Lower MPA governance effectiveness → higher non-compliance post-COVID
  • MPA governance became more predictive after the shock than fleet-state governance
• Policy implication: with limited resources, prioritize strengthening destination-side (MPA) governance/enforcement/resilience

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3) Behavioral conservation incentives for shark/ray protection in small-scale fisheries

Problem framed

• Indonesia highlighted as a hotspot of shark diversity/endemicity with high fishing pressure
• Shark/ray catch occurs through:
  • Direct targeting (fins/meat trade)
  • Bycatch/entanglement in nets and lines
• Most fleets are small-scale
• Threatened species are valued for both income and food

Core conservation concept

• Conservation requires behavior change
• Positive incentives can encourage pro-conservation behavior and compliance, but may also create unintended consequences, such as:
  • Cheating
  • Hidden actions
  • Budget constraints
  • Information asymmetries

Research methodology (incentive design pipeline)

• Combine fisheries catch data with social survey data
• Identify which gears and communities drive threatened-species mortality
• Use behavioral-economics style scenario testing to predict responses to interventions
• Develop and test programs empirically

Intervention types described

• Vessel buyback
  • Voluntary permanent exit from targeted shark longline fisheries (reverse auction pricing)
• Gear exchange
  • Replace unselective nets (e.g., gill nets) with more selective gear (e.g., fish traps)
• Compensated safe release
  • Compensation for verified safe release of critically endangered hammerheads/wedgefish
  • Verification via camera proof/video evidence

Evaluation approach

• Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs):
  • Treatment group: incentive offered
  • Control group: no incentive
• Tracked outcomes:
  • Retained catches of threatened species
  • Income
  • Subjective well-being

Reported outcomes (pilot results)

• Vessel buyback
  • Targeted vessels removed
  • Projected shark savings over a decade and a cost-effectiveness estimate were discussed
• Gear exchange
  • Pilot reported zero bycatch of sharks/rays
  • Increased fisher income reported
• Compensated release
  • First version:
    • Reduced wedgefish catches
    • Increased hammerhead catches (attributed to cheating/perverse incentives)
  • Revised version:
    • Substantial reduction in wedgefish catches
    • No negative consequences for hammerheads

Sustainability question

• How funding might be sustained via:
  • Tourism willingness-to-pay/levies (conservation levy)
  • Possible bycatch-based taxes (internalizing externalities)
  • Redirecting perverse subsidies (e.g., fuel or unsustainable gear subsidies) toward conservation incentives

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4) Coral spawning monitoring and restoration (citizen science + open training + data validation)

Nature phenomenon

• Mass coral spawning
  • Highly synchronized and species-specific timing
• Particularly relevant in Indonesia due to:
  • Large coral reef area
  • ~500 coral species (coral triangle context)

Scientific and conservation purpose

• Long-term spawning records as indicators of:
  • Ecosystem health and resilience
• Support for restoration, especially for species that may not recover well through fragment planting alone

Project approach (2024 onward; beginning with awareness and management concepts)

• Consortium led by an NGO with international partners (France and other research institutions mentioned)
• Enhancing coral spawning monitoring through:
  • Open-access online training
  • Onsite workshops across multiple islands/universities
  • Species identification training (taxonomy is central)
  • Monitoring method training (night diving, traps, night-vision cameras)
  • Emphasis on non-invasive and low-cost methods

Citizen science infrastructure

• CoralLog / similar web platform concept:
  • Standardized data entry forms with minimum criteria
  • Mapping and trend visualization
  • Validation via:
    • Photo uploads for verification
    • Confidence levels; possible AI tools for genus-level assistance (in development)
  • Data access:
    • Open training materials and protocols
    • Controlled data publication focused on trends while protecting private information
• Plans for additional analysis training for local universities

Temporal ecology details

• Spawning windows:
  • Western Indonesia: often April–May
  • Eastern Indonesia: October–November
• Typically 2–6 days after full moon and during species-dependent night hours

Restoration/monitoring link

• Restoration improved by aligning with reproductive timing and understanding species-specific spawning behavior

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Methodologies / frameworks outlined

Satellite sea-level monitoring + coastal impact workflow (from Dr. Stefano’s talk)

• Measure sea surface height changes using satellite radar altimetry
• Use GPS to account for vertical land motion
• Integrate with tide gauge data where available
• Reprocess altimetry for the coastal zone (improved algorithms; more accurate nearshore retrieval)
• Merge multiple satellite missions for long-term time series
• Link sea-level change to ecological impacts (e.g., coral stress/drowning risk)

Conservation incentive design pipeline (from Dr. Holly’s talk)

• Combine catch/fisheries data + social survey data
• Identify:
  • Which gear types and communities drive threatened species capture
  • Social/economic barriers to releasing threatened species
• Co-design incentive options with communities
• Predict fisher responses using behavioral/scenario approaches
• Pilot and evaluate programs empirically using RCTs
• Measure:
  • Retained threatened-species catch
  • Income outcomes
  • Subjective well-being
• Modify programs to prevent perverse incentives (e.g., cheating)

Illegal fishing compliance research framework (from Dr. Tom’s talk)

• Monitor ecosystem indicators inside MPAs using BRUVs and ecological surveys
• Quantify illegal fishing using patrol data and AIS vessel tracking
• Compare pre/post shocks (e.g., COVID-era enforcement disruption)
• Model compliance drivers using:
  • Governance effectiveness metrics (fleet-state vs MPA-state)
  • AIS-derived vessel presence/behavior
• Infer governance priority for improving compliance

Coral spawning monitoring + standardization workflow (from Dr. Joanna’s talk)

• Train participants first in:
  • Coral identification/taxonomy
  • Then in spawning monitoring methods
• Use standardized field protocols (night diving; cameras; traps)
• Enter standardized observations into an online platform
• Validate quality via:
  • Minimum required fields
  • Photo uploads and confidence levels
  • Ongoing platform support for data filtering
• Use long-term records to guide:
  • Restoration practices
  • Spawning-season prediction and efficient field planning

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Researchers / sources featured (as explicitly named)

• Dr. Stefano Viknodelli (National Research Council, Pisa / remote sensing, sea level studies; associated with European Space Agency funding)
• Dr. Holly Booth (University of Oxford)
• Dr. Tom Letier (University of Plymouth; marine biodiversity, MPAs, compliance)
• Dr. Joanna Das / Dr. Joanna Diaz (Ocean / Indonesia coral spawning monitoring project; Lisbon mentioned in intro)
• Tonku Harris Igbal Escal MSJ PhD (moderator)
• Muhammad Shahu Harahab (Quran recitation/prayer leader)
• Dr. FAFI S A M S J A (named in opening ceremony remarks; director/representative—name appears garbled)
• Professor Dr. Heru Falefi (opening remarks; vice director for academic affairs representative)
• Associate professor Dr. Shahu Purawan (chair of the organizing committee; conference report)
• Professor Edison Democusi (Davao Oriental State University; invited speaker)
• Mr. Atlan Yusan Esut (P Astra Agro Leari; invited speaker)
• Dr. Nurfila (University Shahala; invited speaker)
• Dr. Sophie Yudin (Prince on Sonla University; invited speaker)
• Dr. Ilia Seawi (Yan University; invited speaker)
• Dr. MD Rasedul Islam (Pua Science and Technology University; invited speaker)
• Dr. Dr. Sovi[n] May (Prince of Sla University; invited speaker—name appears garbled)
• Mr. Raja Adya (Yaya Conservancy Indonesia; asked a question)
• Nazi Rosati (audience questioner; asked about batimetry/bathymetry from satellite)
• Cityasi (audience questioner; asked about sustainability of shark conservation incentives)
• Avissar (audience questioner; asked governance indicator weighting/hierarchical model transfer)
• Dimasma (audience questioner; asked about validating coral citizen-science quality)
• Habanua (aquaculture program; asked about GNSS/GPS networks and vertical land motion modeling)
• Claire Collins (mentioned as a previous PhD researcher whose work informed illegal-fishing fleet studies)
• Lasuni (mentioned as a collaborator involved in community/participatory mapping; name appears as “Lassuni”)
• MRAG (mentioned as a partner supporting research/enforcement-related work)
• Bertrelli Marine program (mentioned as a funder)
• IOP Conference Series and International Journal of Remote Sensing (conference publication outlets; mentioned as Scopus-indexed)
• Journal the peak / journal technology prianand cloutan (mentioned as accredited journal outlets; names appear garbled)
• Wildlife Conservation Society (mentioned as a partner)
• European Space Agency (mentioned as funding satellite altimetry activity)

Note: Many institutional names and some personal names are garbled by auto-generated subtitles; the list above includes all clearly identifiable names/sources as they appear in the text.