Olele Village Marine Reserve

Miguel’s Diving was proud today to bring the first divers to the newly formed Olele Village Marine Reserve. Set aside by village residents themselves, the reserve protects about 300 meters of coral reef that includes its famous multiple towering pinnacles. This represents the culmination of the process begun about five years ago by Miguel’s Diving to educate Gorontalo fishers about the need to protect the reefs in their own villages. The payment of Rp. 5.000 per diver is divided 25% to the village treasury and 75% to those village residents who maintain the reserve, which is marked off by buoys. No fishing of any kind is allowed and boats must go around the site rather than pass through. Divers today descending to the first pinnacle were greeted by a large Napolea.n wrasse, a school of batfish, eight young Bumphead parrotfish, and a Blue-spotted puffer so large that it had a remora attached.