Improved marine laws called for

Improved marine laws called for

JAKARTA (JP): Experts have highlighted the need for better
marine resource management to ensure optimum benefits for local
people and reduce exploitation by "stronger parties".

Cliff Marlessy of the Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation
(KEHATI) and Gayatri Lilley of the World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF) agreed separately that applying "reform" in marine resource
management should start with better laws governing the sector.

"Several regulations must be reviewed in order to give back to
the people their rights (over marine resources) and to reinstate
their (traditional) roles," Marlessy said on the sidelines of a
discussion on reform in the marine sector.

He cited a 1979 law on village administration which displaced
the indigenous Maluku people's environmentally friendly
traditional coral reef management called sasi, in which local
people manage, conserve and harvest from nature.

The law gave village administrators the authority to grant
concessions to private companies to exploit coral reefs, often
leading to damage.

"(In this era of reform), let the people get their rights back
and play their roles (in marine management)," Marlessy said.

The sentiment was seconded by WWF Indonesia in a paper
prepared by its marine conservation coordinator Lilley.

"More options must be given to the country's traditional
fishing community.

"They must be empowered by being given training, facilities,
rights to manage marine resources that had once belonged to them
under traditional laws."

Establishment of a special ministry or agency under the title
"Ministry/ Agency for Marine Affairs" was recommended to minimize
frequently reported conflicts of interest between existing
government ministries, it said.

Among the new agency's main tasks would be to initiate
policies on marine resource management and review and establish
regulations and laws regarding marine management.

With sea spanning 5.8 million hectares and an estimated 6.7
million tons of annual fish production, Indonesia is the world's
eighth largest fish producer.

Some analysts argue the industry provides more benefits to big
companies rather than local people. "To some extent, it has even
impoverished local people," Marlessy said. (aan)