About Fish-ID Nusantara
A fish-identification and underwater-photography competition that invites divers to recognise, document, and record the diversity of fish in Indonesian waters.
Getting to Know Fish-ID Nusantara
Fish-ID Nusantara (FIN) is a fish-identification and underwater-photography competition programme that invites divers to recognise, document, and record the diversity of fish found in Indonesian waters. Through photographs taken during the competition period, participants are challenged to find as many fish species as possible, identify them by scientific name, and complete each entry with location and dive-time information.
FIN is not only about producing beautiful photographs. Every photo is part of a learning process — getting to know Indonesia's underwater life more closely, more carefully, and more responsibly.
From a Dive to Knowledge
Indonesia is one of the world's centres of marine biodiversity. Yet many divers enjoy the beauty of the underwater world without truly knowing the species they encounter. FIN exists to turn every dive into a learning opportunity and every photo into valuable documentation. Through FIN, participants are encouraged to:
How FIN Works
Participants dive with a dive operator, photograph fish without disturbing their habitat, then upload the photo along with the required information.
The scientific or Latin name of the species.
The destination, location, and dive site.
The date and time the photo was taken, based on EXIF data.
Validation from the dive operator used.
Species identification is reviewed by the jury team. Once identification is confirmed, points are awarded based on the species' IUCN Red List conservation category and the applicable competition rules.
So a photo's value is not determined by its visual quality alone. Identification accuracy, data completeness, discovery location, and the species' conservation status all matter to the scoring.
FIN’s Goals
The Values We Bring
Every encounter with a fish becomes a chance to recognise the species and understand its role in the ecosystem.
FIN encourages participants to explore a wide range of destinations, locations, and dive sites across Indonesia.
Underwater photos are not only keepsakes — they are also a record of species, location, and time of encounter.
Knowledge is the first step toward building care. The more species we know, the stronger the reason to protect them.
No photo and no point is more important than a diver’s safety and the preservation of the marine ecosystem.
Responsible Diving
FIN upholds the principles of safety, honesty, and protection of the marine environment.
Participants must maintain proper buoyancy, must not touch or move marine life, must not damage coral reefs, and must not disturb fish for the sake of a photo. Documentation must be carried out without altering a species’ natural behaviour or the condition of its habitat.
Every photo must be the participant’s own work and taken in accordance with the competition rules.
Who Can Participate?
FIN is open to certified divers and underwater photographers who want to build their knowledge of Indonesia's fish species.
Divers who are just starting to learn fish identification and experienced divers alike can take part, learn, and contribute to a shared journey of getting to know the richness of the Nusantara underwater world.
Fish-ID Nusantara is organised by PT Dipa Eralaut Pradana (DEP), together with partners, dive operators, experts, jury members, communities, and various stakeholders committed to education, diving, underwater photography, and Indonesian marine conservation.
Dive, Capture, Identify, Conserve
FIN invites every diver to see the sea in a different way — not only to enjoy its beauty, but also to recognise the life within it.
Because every dive can produce knowledge. Every photo can grow a sense of care. And every species we come to know gives us a reason to help protect it.