The Government of Indonesia continues to strengthen the governance of marine conservation areas in Eastern Indonesia. One of the strategic initiatives receiving strong support is the accelerated establishment of a Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) for Marine Protected Area (MPA) Management under the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office of Maluku Province.

This commitment was highlighted during a meeting to discuss the Draft Governor Regulation of Maluku Province, held at Naya Menteng Building in Central Jakarta on 12 May 2026. The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, represented by the Directorate of Regional Legal Products and the Directorate of Institutional Affairs, the Organizational Bureau and Legal Bureau of the Maluku Provincial Secretariat, the Maluku DKP, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), the Provincial Government of Maluku, and conservation partners including Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), Blue Alliance Indonesia Foundation, and WWF-Indonesia through the support of the GEF-6 Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia programme.

The GEF-6 CFI Indonesia programme has played an important role in advancing marine conservation governance in Maluku. Through a collaborative approach involving government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and local communities, the programme supports the establishment of conservation management institutions that are considered critical for the long-term sustainability of marine and coastal resources in Maluku Province.

This support is delivered through the facilitation of inter-ministerial and local government coordination, policy strengthening, and technical assistance, and regulatory harmonization to accelerate the establishment of the Maluku Provincial Conservation Area UPTD. The establishment of the UPTD is regarded as a key foundation for ensuring that marine conservation areas are managed more effectively, professionally, and sustainably.

Imelda, Director of Regional Legal Products at the Directorate General of Regional Autonomy, MoHA, delivered remarks during the Meeting on the Draft Amendment to Maluku Governor Regulation No. 9 of 2025 concerning the Position, Organizational Structure, Duties, Functions, and Operational Procedures of Regional Technical Implementation Units under the Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office, held in Jakarta on 12 May 2026.

Imelda, Director of Regional Legal Products at the Directorate General of Regional Autonomy, MoHA, reaffirmed the Ministry’s full support for the Maluku Provincial Government’s efforts to strengthen institutional arrangements for marine conservation area management through the establishment of the UPTD.

“As part of our guidance function, we ensure that all regional government administration processes are implemented in accordance with applicable laws and regulations so that programmes can achieve their intended objectives,” she stated.

She further explained that the establishment of the conservation area UPTD represents a strategic step toward strengthening regional governance, particularly in the marine affairs and fisheries sector, while ensuring that the regulations drawn up are legally robust and practically implementable.

Meanwhile, Nalika Lewerissa, Secretary of the Maluku Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office, stated that the establishment of the UPTD is also part of a broader institutional restructuring process within the agency.

She noted that limited human resources remain one of the main challenges, prompting the provincial government to evaluate and reorganize several UPTDs considered less effective, including the closure of the Marine Aquaculture Center Technical Unit.

“The conservation area UPTD is being established to accelerate the management of marine conservation areas while also improving the effectiveness of regional revenue generation in the marine affairs and fisheries sector,” she said.

Meeting on the Draft Amendment to Maluku Governor Regulation No. 9 of 2025 on the Status, Organizational Structure, Duties and Functions, and Working Procedures of Regional Technical Implementation Units under the Marine and Fisheries Service, Jakarta (12 May 2026)

During the meeting, participants discussed three draft Governor Regulations related to the status, organisational structure, duties, functions, and working procedures of UPTD within the Provincial Government of Maluku. One of the key agenda items was the amendment of Maluku Governor Regulation No. 9 of 2025 governing UPTDs under the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office.

The discussion produced several important recommendations. Among them was the need to revise existing regulations, as the current Governor Regulation does not yet accommodate two port UPTDs, namely the Dobo Port UPTD and the Banda Port UPTD. Participants also recommended refining the division of duties and functions within the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office to avoid regulatory gaps and provide greater institutional clarity.

MoHA further urged strengthening the legal basis for the establishment of the UPTD by incorporating relevant national regulations, including Regulations of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No. 31/2020 on Marine Protected Area Management, No. 7/2025 on the Utilization of Marine Protected Areas, and No. 2/2025 on the Organizational Structure and Working Procedures of MMAF.

Another key outcome was the proposed expansion of the UPTD’s management jurisdiction. Previously limited to Southwest Maluku Regency and surrounding areas, the unit’s mandate will now be expanded to cover all marine conservation areas distributed across the ten regencies and municipalities of Maluku Province.

This initiative follows the official recommendation issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs through Letter No. 100.2.2.6/1186/OTDA dated 9 April 2026 regarding the establishment of the Marine Protected Area Management UPTD under the Maluku Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office.

In its recommendation letter, MoHA expressed its principal approval for the establishment of the Maluku Provincial Marine Protected Area Management UPTD, classified as a Class A regional technical unit and headquartered in Ambon City.

The UPTD will be responsible for managing marine protected areas across several strategic regions, including Southeast Maluku Regency, East Seram Regency, Central Maluku Regency, West Seram Regency, Southwest Maluku Regency, Buru Regency, South Buru Regency, Aru Islands Regency, and Tual City.

MoHA concluded that the UPTD establishment has fulfilled the requirements stipulated under the Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs No. 12 of 2017 concerning Guidelines for the Establishment and Classification of Service Branches and Regional Technical Implementation Units.

Key indicators supporting the approval include the availability of standard operating procedures (SOPs), adequate human resources, financing mechanisms, facilities and infrastructure, and a substantial effective workload reaching 26,649 working hours annually-which significantly exceeds the minimum threshold of 15,000 working hours per year required for a Class A UPTD.

Beyond strengthening institutional capacity, the UPTD establishment is considered essential to ensuring integrated and sustainable management of marine protected areas. The government expects the UPTD to enhance the effectiveness of protected area monitoring, strengthen the economic empowerment of coastal communities, and optimize regional economic potential derived from marine resources.

On the occasion, Adipati Rahmat, Project Manager of the PMU for GEF-6 CFI Indonesia, expressed CFI Indonesia’s support for the initiative as part of broader efforts to accelerate the establishment of the Conservation Area UPTD, strengthen long-term ecosystem protection, and improve the welfare of coastal communities.

“The establishment of this UPTD provides a critical foundation for ensuring that marine protected areas are managed more effectively, in an integrated and sustainable manner, while supporting marine ecosystem conservation and improving the livelihoods of coastal communities,” said Adipati.

Through collaboration among the national government, local governments, development partners, and local communities, CFI Indonesia believes that this institutional strengthening effort will accelerate the implementation of adaptive and professional conservation management in Maluku to ensure that marine protected area management delivers sustained ecological, social, and economic benefits.

GEF-6 CFI Indonesia and its development partners consider the establishment of the Maluku Provincial Conservation Area UPTD to be an important model for locally-led conservation management in eastern Indonesia. Supported by a strong institutional framework, marine protected area management is expected to achieve a balance between marine ecosystem conservation and the improvement of coastal community well-being.