Total Area
99,334.69 Hectares
Year of Establishment
Year 2007
Surveillance Post
Dorehkar Post
The cluster of islets in Ayau is a frontier of Indonesia. The distance of Ayau is closer to the southern Philippines and Palau compared to Papua's mainland. Residents there informed us that some fishermen decided to settle in the Philippines for various reasons.
The islets in Ayau stood between clusters of coral reefs and vast atolls, which are an ecologically significant spawning ground for Squaretail grouper (Plectropomus aereolatus) and Brown-marbled grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and habitat as well as aggregation for pelagics like Napoleon fish, tuna, skipjack, mackerels, and trevally.
Ayau-Asia Islands MPA is a habitat for green (Chelonia mydas) and leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), and various marine mammals, including Bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and Spinner (Stella longirostris), and Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus).
Zoning Area
- Core Zone996.93 Hectares
- Limited Use Zone38,970.05 Hectares
- Other Zone59,367.71 Hectares
The zoning figures on this page follow the latest area GeoJSON.
Indigenous Community
The majority of the people in Ayau-Asia Islands are Wardo and Usba Tribes, which are closely related to the Biak Tribe.
Area Map
Click the map below to view the detailed zoning within the MPA.
Zoning and Activities Guideline
The MPA is managed through a zoning system to balance ecosystem health and livelihoods.
| Zone Description | Diving | Snorkeling | Fishing | Anchoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Core Zone Part of the Raja Ampat MPAs with specific location, condition, and potential as spawning, feeding grounds, as well as fish migration lanes. | ||||
Limited Use Zone Part of the Raja Ampat MPAs with specific locations, conditions, and potential prioritise sustainable tourism, utilisation of other environmental services, as well as research and education. | ||||
Other Zone Part of the area managed under the official zoning outside the core and limited use zones. | Subject to Rules |
• Jet skis or motorized water sports are strictly prohibited.
• Use mooring buoys. Anchoring is only allowed under strict Code of Conduct.
• Fishing for tourists is only allowed with Traditional Head's permission.