Indonesia's marine ecosystems form a fundamental part of the world's natural heritage, representing a global maxima of marine biodiversity and supporting the world's second largest production of seafood. Seagrasses are a key part of that support. In the absence of empirical data we present evidence from expert opinions as to the state of Indonesia's seagrass ecosystems, their support for ecosystem services, with a focus on fisheries, and the damaging activities that threaten their existence. We further draw on expert opinion to elicit potential solutions to prevent further loss. Seagrasses and the ecosystem services they support across the Indonesian archipelago are in a critical state of decline. Declining seagrass health is the result of shifting environmental conditions due largely to coastal development, land reclamation, and deforestation, as well as seaweed farming, overfishing and garbage dumping. In particular, we also describe the declining state of the fisheries resources that seagrass meadows support. The perilous state of Indonesia's seagrasses will compromise their resilience to climate change and result in a loss of their high ecosystem service value. Community supported management initiatives provide one mechanism for seagrass protection. Exemplars highlight the need for increased local level autonomy for the management of marine resources, opening up opportunities for incentive type conservation schemes.

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Abstract. The Banggai cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni is a species of national and international conservation concern. Established in November 2019, the Banggai marine protected area (MPA) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia covers most of the endemic range of this ornamental fish. The third repeat survey (T2 monitoring) under the National Action Plan for Banggai Cardinalfish Conservation (NAP-BCFC) was carried out in October 2019 at eight sites in the Bokan Kepulauan region within the MPA. The T2 monitoring used the standard NAP-BCFC belt transect method. Data were collected on P. kauderni abundance (by size class: recruits, juveniles, adults) and microhabitat (sea urchins, sea anemones, hard corals, and others). Data were evaluated with respect to the T0 (2017) survey and T1 (2018) monitoring at the same sites, as well as previous surveys in 2004 (2 sites) and 2012 (4 sites). The data show wide between-site variation in P. kauderni and microhabitat parameters, with one subpopulation at very high risk of extirpation. Trends included declines over time in P. kauderni, sea urchin and sea anemone abundance, with an increase since 2017 in hard coral microhabitat use by adult P. kauderni. We recommend evaluation of other P. kauderni populations in Bokan Kepulauan and specific site or zone-based actions. However, we conclude that the most urgent priority for P. kauderni conservation in Bokan Kepulauan is protection of key microhabitat through a moratorium on sea urchin and sea anemone collection in P. kauderni habitat.  Keywords: Banggai cardinalfish, endangered species, marine conservation, microhabitat, monitoring, ornamental fishery, CITES

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The iconic symbiosis with clownfish is not the only sea anemone-fish association. Several tropical sea anemones provide microhabitat for the Endangered (IUCN Red List) Banggai cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni. Microhabitat loss from declining sea anemone populations is a serious threat to native P. kauderni populations or evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). One measure advocated to maintain and rehabilitate these P. kauderni ESUs is to restore microhabitat abundance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the asexual propagation of wild anemone broodstock with the subsequent release. Two species with which P. kauderni commonly associates (Heteractis crispa and Entacmaea quadricolor) were identified through field surveys. Parent anemones were bisected, cutting through the center of the oral disc. Propagules (half anemones) were placed in empty clam shells as hard substrate. Treatments provided different levels of protection from potential predators, in aquaria (P. kauderni present/absent), concrete tanks (P. kauderni and Diadema urchins excluded/not excluded) or in a net cage on the natural substrate (fish and invertebrate fauna including P. kauderni and Diadema setosum). The cut edges of sectioned anemones joined together within seconds, with wounds typically healing in around 7 days and joins hard to see after 3-4 weeks. Growth was faster and long-term survival higher in the net cage compared to tanks for uncovered and covered anemones. The results indicate the potential for this propagation method in the context of P. kauderni conservation and suggest sectioned anemones should be moved to the natural rehabilitation areas once capable of adhering firmly to a hard substrate.

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