both the Tasi Tolu Beach and the Beto Tasi Beach near Dili's international airport, there is regular hatching of sea turtles. However, in most parts of East Timor sea turtles are overharvested for their eggs, skin, meat and carapace for handicraft making. The northern edge of the strait abuts two Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Gunung Muna (on Alor, Indonesia), and Atauro (East Timor). The southern edge of the strait is also the northern shore of four East Timorese IBAs. From west to east, they are Be Malae (just to the west of the Loes River), Maubara (a short distance east of the village of Maubara), Tasitolu (just to the west of Dili), and Areia Branca no Dolok Oan (on the eastern side of the Bay of Dili). Humans The village of Lamalera (pop. 2,500) on the south coast of Lembata, facing the south western entrance to the strait, is known for its hunting of sperm whale and other deep-sea species. The hunting has been taking place for at least six centuries, and is allowed under International Whaling Commission regulations concerning aboriginal whaling. However, conservationists worry that commercial whaling also takes place, and that hunters use their engine-powered boats all year round to catch other protected species such as manta rays, orcas (Orcinus orca), dolphins and oceanic sharks. Ombai-Wetar Strait Hope Spot On World Oceans Day 2020, the Ombai-Wetar Strait was designated as a Mission Blue Hope Spot. The designation recognises the importance of conserving the open waters on the north side of East Timor, with their globally-significant coral reefs and marine biodiversity. It also emphasises the potential of the two straits for sustainable marine ecotourism development. Navigation Commercial Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a commercial vessel or aircraft has freedom of navigation or overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of a strait between one part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone and another. That transit passage principle applies to Ombai Strait and Wetar Strait, as they combine to link two oceans. The Ombai-Wetar route is longer in distance than its Strait of Malacca-Singapore Strait counterpart. The former route is therefore not really a preferred alternative path for west to east commercial traffic. However, it is sometimes used, and is considered the safest route, for the largest oil tankers transiting between the Persian Gulf and Japan, and is also