The Forgotten Islands occupy a region in the southeastern Indonesian province of Maluku, a sparsely-populated area covering about 50,000 square kilometers that includes a vast expanse of coral reefs. As the region’s name suggests, not much is known about these reefs and their associated fisheries.

One important reason for this is that for much of the year the seas are wild and unable to be accessed. Another reason is that Maluku’s Forgotten Islands support around 70,000 people who practice traditional customs that hark back to before the conversion of communities to Christianity. These customs include the guarding of marine resources against occasional visitors, such as nomadic fishers from central Indonesia.

The Forgotten Islands represent some of the most pristine reefs of Indonesia – truly one of the “last of the wild” seascapes on earth. For these reefs to endure ever-increasing demands for reef-fishery products, strategic protection of key areas and dependent fish populations is essential before these magnificent corals become not merely forgotten but lost forever.