A thesis presentation on Legal Service Work at the Master\u2019s programme\nin Legal Studies at Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 (UTA 45) Jakarta sparked\ncross-sectoral discussion concerning the fate of Indonesia\u2019s 2.2 million\nsmall-scale fishermen. The presentation by postgraduate student Johan\nRosihan was titled \u201cLegal Politics of Maritime Spatial Governance:\nProtecting Small-Scale Fishermen Amid Investment Expansion and\nAdministrative Regulation\u201d.<\/p>\n
The presentation highlighted the paradox of protecting small-scale\nfishermen amid coastal investment expansion. In his exposition, Johan\nemphasised that Indonesia, the world\u2019s largest archipelago nation, has\nyet to provide adequate protection for small-scale fishermen, the\nmajority of whom operate vessels below 10 gross tonnes with simple\nequipment.<\/p>\n
He identified three structural factors weakening protection for\nsmall-scale fishermen: asymmetrical representation in policymaking,\nfragmented authority among agencies, and weak law enforcement in remote\ncoastal regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cLaw does not exist in neutral space. It is a product of power\nrelations that determine who gains access, who is protected, and who is\nmarginalised,\u201d Johan stated in a written statement on Friday, 27\nFebruary 2026.<\/p>\n
The discussion, held on Thursday, 26 February, brought diverse\nperspectives from practitioners at PT Pelindo, the port facilities\nsubsidiary of PT Krakatau Steel, financial analysts, and students from\nMaluku and East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Johan emphasised that conflict between large-scale investment and\nsmall-scale fishermen is not a permanent dichotomy, but rather results\nfrom the absence of equitable negotiation forums and consistent rules of\nengagement.<\/p>\n
He proposed an integrated value chain model, with small-scale\nfishermen as upstream catch collectors, cooperatives or state-owned\nenterprises as mid-stream aggregators, and Pelindo facilities as\ndownstream export gateways.<\/p>\n
The issue of border-area fishermen also emerged, particularly\nregarding arrests by Australian authorities. Johan attributed this to\nthe narrowing of fishing grounds resulting from investment expansion,\nalong with insufficient dissemination of the Indonesia-Australia\nMemorandum of Understanding concerning traditional fishermen\u2019s access\nrights.<\/p>\n
On fiscal matters, Johan proposed earmarking mechanisms for fisheries\nrevenue-sharing funds to protect small-scale fishermen through revision\nof the regional revenue-sharing law, local government regulation of\nbudgets, and utilisation of village development funds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fiscal instruments already exist. What is missing is the\npolitical will to lock them in legally so they are not redirected to\nother budget items,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
The study formulated three regulatory reform recommendations. First,\nto the Indonesian Parliament and Government to harmonise maritime\nspatial governance regulations with fishermen\u2019s rights protection as a\nnon-negotiable boundary.<\/p>\n
Second, to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, the\nMinistry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment\nand Forestry, the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, and\nlocal governments to establish cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms\nand accelerate implementation of the Coastal and Small Island Zone\nPlanning (RZWP3K) programme that recognises traditional fishing\ngrounds.<\/p>\n
Third, to the Supreme Court, the Judicial Commission, legal aid\norganisations, and universities to develop progressive jurisprudence and\nexpand legal aid access to remote coastal regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as small-scale fishermen continue to be treated as objects\nof development\u2014rather than active legal subjects\u2014coastal justice will\nremain an unfulfilled promise,\u201d Johan concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/johan-rosihan-presents-study-on-protection-of-small-scale-fishermen-1772190294", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }