Coral & Kima Garden
The IUCN Red List (1996) lists the giant clams as “vulnerable”. Giant clams (family Cardiidae, subfamily Tridacninae) are a group of marine bivalve molluscs consisting of two genera: Hippopus and Tridacna, with 10 extant species (bin Othman et al., 2010). These charismatic bivalves are often cited as important ecological components of coral reefs, especially as contributors to overall productivity and providers of substrate. Known as species indicator due its function that served as filter feeder. Giant clams increase the topographic heterogeneity of the reef, act as reservoirs of zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.), and also potentially counteract eutrophication via water filtering. Unfortunately, populations of wild giant clams are declining in various countries including Indonesia. There is concern among conservationists about whether those who use the species as a source of livelihood are overexploiting it. The numbers in the wild have been greatly reduced by extensive harvesting for food and the aquarium trade.
The shallow waters of Nusa Dua, Bali is the habitat of two species giant clams, Tridacna maxima and Tridacna squamosa. However, coral reefs damaged has been influenced the habitat of giant clams, led to a drastic decline of giant clams (or “kima” in Indonesia language) population in Nusa Dua. In 2015, Nusa Dua Reef Foundation initiated a Coral and Kima Garden as a restoration program is aimed to provide the giant clams with a suitable home surroundings when they are big enough in the future to be placed onto the reef. The garden also designed to be a conservation-based ecotourism attraction combined with coral reef rehabilitation program using restocking method.
Coral and Kima Garden was launched by Director General of KP3K Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Dr. Sudirman Saad at Mengiat Beach Nusa Dua on August 28, 2015 during the 4th CTI-CFF Regional Business Forum held at BNDCC , Nusa Dua – Bali, 27-29 August 2015.
The project is collaboration between Pokmaswas and Koperasi Yasa Segara Bengiat, the Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL) Denpasar and the Faculty of Marine and Fisheries of Hasanuddin University.
