KKP and Australia Educate Merauke Fishermen to Prevent Cross-Border Violations
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), in collaboration with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), is strengthening legal education for fishermen in Merauke Regency, South Papua, to prevent cross-border fishing violations.
Lotharia Latif, Director General of Capture Fisheries at KKP, stated that the Merauke region, which shares a direct border with Australia, requires special attention to ensure fishermen understand fishing boundaries and the legal risks of entering another country’s waters without permission.
“We want to ensure that fishermen understand the boundaries of fishing areas, are aware of the legal risks if they violate them, and are simultaneously encouraged to adopt legal, safe, and responsible fishing practices,” Latif said in an official statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The programme, which took place from 25–27 June 202scale, was held in Kumbe Village, Lampu Satu, and the Merah Putih Fisherman Village (KNMP) in Samkai, Merauke, involving fishermen, students, local government, law enforcement, community leaders, and coastal residents.
According to Latif, strengthening legal literacy is part of a capture fisheries modernisation programme that focuses not only on increasing productivity and fleet development but also on enhancing fishermen’s capacity to understand regulations, comply with fishing boundaries, and implement responsible fishing practices.
During the sessions, participants received materials regarding the maritime boundaries of Indonesia and Australia, the legal and safety risks resulting from cross-border fishing, protection for Indonesian citizens facing legal processes abroad, and efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
This step is being taken amidst the high incidence of fishing violations by Indonesian vessels within the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ), which extends from three to 200 nautical miles from the Australian coastline.
According to a study titled “The Behavioural Drivers of Illegal Indonesian Small-Scale Transboundary Fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone,” published in the journal Maritime Studies in October 2025 using AFMA data, illegal fishing by small-scale Indonesian fishermen in the AFZ has remained a persistent issue for several decades.
The number of Indonesian fishing vessels intercepted in the AFZ has also remained relatively high in recent years. Based on the study, Australian authorities intercepted 337 Indonesian vessels during the 2021/2022 fiscal year. That figure dropped to 125 vessels in 2022/2023, but rose again to 237 vessels in 2023/2024.
Meanwhile, as of 7 January 2025, Australian authorities had intercepted 172 Indonesian vessels in the 2024/2025 fiscal year, though this data remains provisional.
Latif expressed hope that early understanding of maritime boundaries and fishing regulations would be able to reduce cross-border violations while protecting Indonesian fishermen from legal risks while at sea.