PEER Program helps Indonesia become more self-reliant country

The ocean, and especially the reefs, still have many unknown basic qualities.

The PEER program funds scientists and engineers from developing countries who collaborate with US researchers to solve global development problems, using decapods found in coral reefs to assess the health of the reef and help determine the management units. 

The decapods are crustaceans, formed by different types of crabs, lobsters, and shrimp, and play a vital role in the maintenance of coral ecosystems.

Christopher Meyer, US partner of the PEER project at the Smithsonian Institution, has studied marine life for 30 years. The ocean, and especially the reefs, still have many unknown basic qualities, which led Meyer to pursue his career exploring marine life.

One third of all saltwater fish depend on coral reefs at some point in their lives. Fish account for about 40 percent of all animal proteins in Indonesia's diet, which makes healthy reefs essential for regional food security. Fish is also an important part of Indonesia's economy, which exports almost USD 4 billion of fish in 2012.

According to Meyer, marine conservation may be more difficult to promote because everything is covered by water is invisible If you can not see what that is below, you are less likely to appreciate the full impact of humans, says Meyer.

Current estimates predict that by 2050, almost all of the world's coral reefs will be threatened. The causes of coral reefs in danger of extinction include pollution, overfishing, natural disasters and climate change.

Much of this PEER project is helping Indonesia to become a more self-reliant country by building research capacity.

(With inputs from USAID)