My name is Nengah Lanus, I am 55 years old, and I am a fisherman and boat captain from Pengalon. I work in Padangbai on a daily basis to provide for my 2 children and 2 grandkids.

For me, going to the ocean is just like taking a walk on the street, because the amount of time I spend on the sea is the same as the amount of time I spend on land.

I was an orphan. My parents left me when I was young and I had to find a way to survive. First, I helped raise cows until they were big enough to sell, then I would use the money I got from there to head seaward and catch some fish to sell. So the sea has been my source of income ever since I was in 3rd grade.

Back then, there was not much technology to catch fish. A rod and a hook were as good as you can get. But then, using those, I would still be able to catch 100 to 150 fish. These days, we fishermen struggle to catch anything. No matter where I go, the seas are almost empty. Sometimes, what I catch would only be enough to pay for petrol for the boat.

Working with Livingseas, I have seen that they have coral projects at several sites in Padangbai, namely Mimpang and Baung Penyu. I am often the one who drives them to their sites, waiting for hours on the boat for them to finish building the reefs. But I am fine with that because what they are doing is good. It will help develop Padangbai’s tourism and increase fisherman's catches.

I hope in the future, the ocean does not have to endure any bad changes.

Hi, my name is Gita. I am 25 years old and I grew up in Padang Bai.

I have seen the environmental effects that have shaped and changed my childhood paradise to what it is today.

When I was a child, Padangbai village was a beautiful and calm little village with mostly locals working as fishermen or having their own line of business. It was my paradise with a long stretch of white sand and clear blue water... it’s one of the things I had taken for granted.

As a child, I used to play on the beach and the entire beach was my playground. Every day I would go have a dip in the water or play catch on the white sands. In the evenings, I would sit at the end of the wooden dock and watch the sunset with my friends, catching glimpses of fishes in the crystal waters, teasing us. During low tides, I would find all sorts of sea stars, sea horses, nudibranchs, Spanish dancers, and even swim with a shiver of baby sharks. All that was usual back then.

But over the years, as time changed with the tide, Padang Bai changed, bit by bit, until it eventually became significant enough for me to feel it.

It started with the increasing number of fast boats, then extension of the local dock with an additional harbour for ferry boats... it continued to shore dredging, and the increasing number of travel accommodations to fulfil the tourists’ needs.

Those events had huge effects on Padangbai village, good and bad. While some prospered, everyone began to notice the changes in water quality, shore structures, and the environmental conditions around the beach.

Before, I was greeted by clean and clear water every time I wanted to swim. Now, the beach is polluted heavily by oil spills from boats. All the fishes are almost gone and the rare sighting of fish near the dock is almost precious. Finding sea creatures in the shallow waters is now near impossible....I have to go diving far away just to encounter them again.

Also, there is the transformation of the shore structure, abrasion, and high tides happening in certain seasons. It is most possibly caused by shore dredging for more boats to dock. With the increase in demand to meet the tourists’ needs, lots of new accommodations were built, but not always matched with the consideration of environmental impact that they might cause. And with the increase in pollution, there was a crucial need in the community for a local landfill, which was not considered, thus adding more damage to an already critical situation.

But finally, there is Livingseas Asia! It is a dive center in Padangbai that is concerned about the local environmental conditions, especially the coral reefs. As a local, I am happy to be involved in their coral conservation project, where I am able to help replant the reef that we have lost.

A group of us women were given the chance to be part of the Fellowship, a program by Livingseas to help educate the locals about preserving marine life in our area. During the training, I was given knowledge about corals, their roles in the environment, and also how to properly “plant” the corals to help them grow better. With that, I saw how the healthy reef acted as a physical invitation for the fish community to come live there and make it their home. I feel that this positive activity has a great impact on the ocean as well as on the locals. I am motivated to help rebuild my beautiful ocean again and share my new knowledge with the next generation of my neighbors so that we can preserve our way of life here.