A survey of coral reefs conducted by Conservation International in July 2016 reported that Ataúro Islands hosts the highest average fish diversity globally. The 10 study sites averaged 253 reef fish species per site, including one site where 315 species – the third highest globally – were recorded. As this work was underway to survey biodiversity, Adara, on the west side of the island, was the flagship community in implementing a no-take LMMA through tara bandu on Ataúro on May 13th, 2016 following 12 months of community consultation (Mills & Tilley, 2017; Tilley et al., 2019). ATKOMA’s (first and former) President “Super” Mario Gomes, originally from Adara, was instrumental in initiating this first LMMA. Villages Beloi and Vila then established similar MPAs through tara bandu in 2017 and 2018, respectively. By the end of 2019, almost all communities (13 total) on Ataúro had implemented tara bandu LMMAs, covering a combined area of 1,308 ha, of which 37 percent (488 ha) are ‘no take’ (See Map).
Ataúro Island Existing LMMAs. From the “Ataúro Island Sustainable Management Plan”

Under the support of the USAID Tourism for All Project, ATKOMA was legally registered as the first DMO in the country on Ataúro Island in 2019, with Mario Gomes as ATKOMA’s first President. In addition to functioning as a traditional DMO—helping with visitor bookings, delivering marketing benefits to business members, and advocating for local tourism ownership on the island—ATKOMA has been instrumental in reviving the customary traditional ecological management practice of tara bandu. ATKOMA does this by helping to raise guest awareness of the purpose of the tara bandu LMMAs, collect visitor fees, advocate for community needs, and increase the distribution of tourists to other areas of the island (see flyers below that are distributed to all guest houses and hotels on the island). Whenever a tourist swims or dives within one of these protected areas, they must pay a $2 fee that is distributed to the local community, ensuring that communities benefit from the protection of these incredible natural areas.

Three key elements have made the tara bandu LMMAs successful: community support, government recognition, and ecotourism integration. In Tetum, the term tara bandu literally means prohibition (bandu) by hanging (tara). Local communities repurpose traditional conservation practices through tara bandu rules to create temporary fishing, hunting and harvesting closures in certain areas. Tara bandu is both a code of behavior and a community ritual, which uses local conservation knowledge and helps expand social networks and community cooperation. As a form of customary law, Tara bandu is supported by formal law through Article 8, sub-sections 1,2 and 3 of the ‘Environmental Base Law, No. 26/2012’. Once a community agrees on a Tara Bandu, all parties are bound by it. A person found guilty of violating a Tara Bandu restriction may be fined and / or have to hand over assets to the community, with many believing such a violation incurs a curse upon that individual. However, it is important to note that tara bandu is not a formal organization in its own right, and it relies on the support from community members to uphold the law and maintain its governance structure. Some research in the past has acknowledged the existence of so-called “kableha”, a group of guardians in charge of the surveillance and monitoring of the ban. Without the complete support and buy-in from the local community, tara bandu will not work. Thus, its integration with the tourism economy—including ensuring that ATKOMA as the regional DMO is aligned with promoting the tara bandu rules and stewardship of marine resources by both guests and local communities—is critical. So far, monitoring of MMAs has indicated positive biodiversity outcomes in no-take zones.

ATKOMA has also gained numerous international recognitions for its efforts. In 2021, ATKOMA and the Ombai-Wetar Strait were nominated as a Whale Heritage Site. In 2020, this critical migratory corridor for whale and dolphin species, as well as the rich biodiverse reefs around the island, was also nominated as a Hope Spot by Mission Blue. Most recently, ATKOMA was nominated as a Top 100 Sustainability Story in Green Destination’s international competition. During the awards ceremony at the ITB Berlin Conference in March, ATKOMA won the #1 place in the Nature & Ecotourism Category, beating other internationally renowned destinations and demonstrating that true community-led tourism is the future of the ecotourism industry.