Indonesia's Coral Reefs - 360 | Into Water

Oceans are critical to keeping our global ecosystem in balance. They are home to hundreds of thousands of species, many of which are under threat. There are millions of people whose day-to-day survival depends on their continued health. [Music]

My connection to the ocean is rooted in my love of surfing. It's Tommy that the sea is a dynamic and powerful force, one that demands respect. The fishermen I'm studying understand this better than anyone.

I'm Shannon Switzer Swanson; I'm a marine social ecologist and a National Geographic Explorer. My research focuses on marine conservation in Indonesia's Vanga Archipelago. I'm spending a year embedded in several communities, living with families to observe their daily fishing practices. It's a complicated web of ancient practices and modern pressures.

I'm trying to understand what motivates fishing families to use more sustainable methods that are safer for both them and the reef. I'm curious why some fishermen have developed a strong conservation ethic while others have not.

Papa Adam comes from a long line of traditionally nomadic fishermen called the Bajau. He specializes in spear fishing and catching aquarium fish using an air compressor to breathe. If not done conscientiously, fishing can damage coral, diminish important fish populations, and potentially upset the reef ecosystem. [Music]

Papa Adam sells the aquarium fish he catches to buyers. Over a quarter of the tens of millions of aquarium fish caught annually come from Indonesia. [Music]

Papa Adam also catches fish to feed his family and to sell as food. He and many like him supply Indonesia's bustling fish markets. This community is beyond gracious; they've not only welcomed me into their daily working lives but into their homes as well.

These fishing families' way of life is special, rooted in a connection to the ocean thousands of years old, a relationship that needs to flourish for thousands more.