Across Indonesia's coastal areas, Indigenous communities have safeguarded the sea and natural resources for centuries through customary institutions and local knowledge passed down across generations. Today, amid growing challenges from climate change and increasing pressures on coastal ecosystems, recognition of the rights of Indigenous communities is increasingly regarded as an important approach to strengthening sustainable natural resource governance.

One important step was taken in East Seram Regency, Maluku, where the East Seram Regency Government, together with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), with support from the Global Environment Facilities 6 (GEF-6) Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia through the Sasi Co-Management model, completed the finalization of the Draft Regent Regulation on the Recognition and Protection of the Customary Law Community (MHA) of Negeri Kiltay on 23 June 2026.

More than simply a regulatory process, this initiative marks an important milestone in providing legal certainty for the customary community while strengthening the coastal management system that has long been practiced through customary institutions and local knowledge.

Group Photo: The facilitation activity for the recognition of the Indigenous Community (Masyarakat Hukum Adat/MHA) of Kiltay Village, Seram Bagian Timur Regency, Maluku Province. The event was attended by Seram Bagian Timur Regent Fachri Husni Alkatiri, accompanied by Head of the Seram Bagian Timur Fisheries Agency Surahman; Tely Dasaluti, Head of the Working Team for Indigenous and Local Communities at the Directorate of Coastal and Small Islands Utilization, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP); Hasan Sangadji, Project Management Unit (PMU) of GEF-6 CFI Indonesia; and the Site Manager for Fisheries Management Area (WPP) 715, together with members of the Kiltay Indigenous Community, Maluku, June 23, 2026.

Regent of East Seram, Fachri Husni Alkatiri, emphasized that recognition of the Customary Law Community is part of the government's commitment to respecting communities that have safeguarded their territories and natural resources for generations.

"This Regent Regulation will not only provide legal certainty for the customary community, but also strengthen the role of local knowledge as part of sustainable regional development," he said.

Once the regulation is enacted, Negeri Kiltay will become the third Customary Law Community to receive official recognition in East Seram Regency, following Negeri Kataloka and Amarsekaru.

For the people of Kiltay, the recognition also represents stronger support for the resource management system they have practiced for many years. One example is ngam (sasi), a customary coastal and marine management system that regulates the timing, location, and manner in which natural resources may be used. This practice has helped maintain ecosystem balance while supporting the sustainability of fisheries resources that provide livelihoods for the community.

Head of the Fisheries Service of East Seram Regency, Surahman, said that these local knowledge-based practices have become an important partner for the government in maintaining the health of coastal and marine ecosystems.

"The local knowledge held by Indigenous communities greatly supports the government's efforts to maintain sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems for present and future generations," he said.

From the central government’s perspective, recognizing Customary Law Communities is key to sustainable coastal governance, requiring both acknowledgment of their managed areas and integration into marine spatial planning. Tely Dasaluti of the MMAF noted that support for the Kiltay MHA includes community identification, document preparation, field verification, and finalizing the Draft Regent Regulation, with subsequent integration into provincial marine spatial plans for stronger legal protection. Beyond regulation, the MMAF also focuses on capacity building, coastal economic development, and preserving traditional knowledge to support sustainable resource management.

For the GEF-6 CFI Indonesia, recognizing the Kiltay MHA shows how strengthening community institutions can support more sustainable fisheries and coastal management. Hasan Sangadji, Site Manager for FMA 715, noted that Negeri Kiltay has been a pilot village under the program, with activities focused on capacity building, enterprise development, and sustainable fisheries management.

"GEF-6 CFI Indonesia has supported Kiltay for many years through various interventions to strengthen human resource capacity and productive enterprises. Recognition of the Customary Law Community will strengthen these efforts by providing a stronger institutional foundation for the community to sustainably manage its natural resources," he said.

He added that strengthening customary institutions would facilitate the implementation of various community empowerment programs, strengthen sustainable fisheries management, and improve the well-being of coastal communities.

The Kiltay experience also demonstrates the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. The central government, subnational government, customary communities, academia, and development partners have worked together to build a common understanding so that customary management systems can operate in harmony with the national legal framework.

As a final step, the Draft Regent Regulation minutes were signed by the Raja of Negeri Kiltay, the East Seram Government, and MMAF, marking shared commitment before formal enactment. Building on the 2024 recognition of Ohoirenan, these initiatives show that strengthening customary rights provides legal certainty, supports biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries, and enhances coastal resilience to climate change.

Through this approach, the East Seram Regency Government, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, and GEF-6 CFI Indonesia hope that the Kiltay experience can serve as an example for other coastal areas across Indonesia, demonstrating that recognition of customary communities is a long-term investment in achieving inclusive, equitable, and sustainable coastal governance.