Poni Marine, a leader in marine engineering and environmental consultancy marked Poni Group’s 15th anniversary by signing a series of Research Partnerships for its award-winning Rumah Fish project, part of the UNDP ASEAN Blue Innovation Challenge (ABIC). The collaboration focuses on advanced research in sustainable fisheries, artificial reef technology, maritime border security, and the detection of illegal, unreported, and unmonitored (IUU) fishing. It also aims to assess the positive impacts of coral planting through blue carbon credits and biodiversity credits.
The Rumah Fish project integrates cutting-edge technologies such as Particle Tracking Modelling, Hydrodynamic Modelling, and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) to identify optimal sites for artificial reefs.
These technologies, alongside artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, help detect trawl marks and areas of IUU fishing, while also designing artificial reef modules that attract targeted fish species for rehabilitation. The project seeks to reduce the costs and time required for artificial reef programmes by utilising the latest scientific advancements.
The research partnership is supported by industry leaders, including Todd Barber from Reef Ball Foundation for artificial reef science; Dr Neil Hartstein of ADS Environment for marine modelling research; and Luis Garrido from Tenyn for ocean data buoy technology.
Additional collaborations include Brian Craddock of Earth Sight International for satellite analysis in IUU detection; Sudono Salim of Jejakin for AI data processing; and Tim Bennet of Loveto for coral biodiversity assessments.
Head of the Environment Unit at UNDP Indonesia Aretha Aprilia praised Poni Marine’s innovative approach, noting its potential to restore marine ecosystems and promote sustainable fisheries.
