Ira DILLENIA / Lestari Cendikia DEWI
(Research and Development Center for Marine and Coastal Resources,Mininstry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of The Republic Indonesia)

Abstract:
Teluk Kao is a bay in North Halmahera regency of Indonesia directly adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. It has  a lot of marine archaeological remains, such as the ancient sunken ships and the old Japanese military fortifications from world war two. These remains give an overview of the maritime history which told about  the important role of the Teluk Kao water as  the Japanese military defense during world war two. The Teluk Kao was a strategic place for Japanese military because it was located in front of Morotai Island  as the base defense allies in Pacific. Naval war between Japan and allies countries was always happened in Teluk Kao water during 1941-1944. Now, the number of visitor coming to Teluk kao is more interested to explore the marine archaeological sites because their history values and the beauty of coral reef at these sites. Marine tourism activities have been growing in Teluk Kao since these sites found in underwater and coastal zone of Teluk Kao. There are nine of marine archaeological sites which has made Teluk Kao be the highly preferred marine tourism location in Indonesia. However, based on our research, the physical condition of marine environments and biodiversity in Teluk kao gave the large impact for the sustainability of the sites. Through this paper, the authors will discuss the results of research about the marine environmental status of the sites  in Teluk Kao and marine biodiversity that gave impacts for the stability and the vulnerability level of marine archaeological sites in their development as the marine tourism attraction in Teluk Kao. Marine environmental parameters measured were water quality, marine geodynamics, types of biodiversity and coastal communities activities at the sites which had been analyzed through a multidisciplinary approach, such as  marine archeology, marine ecology, and oceanography.

Keywords: marine, environmental, archaeology, sustainability, teluk kao