The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), through the Directorate of Fish Resource Management under the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries, convened a workshop on the development of the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for FMA 715 on 12–13 May 2026 in Bogor, West Java. The activity was organized as a follow-up to recommendations from Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to support the implementation of the Quota Based Fishery (PIT) and strengthen national fisheries governance.

Participants attended presentations on strengthening Fisheries Management Area-based fisheries management as part of the formulation process for the FMA 715 FMP. The activity was facilitated through the GEF-6 Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia Programme in Bogor on 13 May 2026.

Supported by the GEF-6 Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia, the event brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including MMAF’s Legal Bureau, the Inspectorate General, technical directorates within the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries (DGCF), the Directorate General of Surveillance for Marine and Fisheries Resources (DJPSDKP), the Directorate General of Marine Management, regional governments, academia, development partners, and civil society organizations such as the Indonesian Society and Fisheries Foundation (MDPI).

Director of Fish Resource Management, Syahril Abd Raup, emphasised that the development of the FMA 715 FMP represents a strategic effort to update the fisheries management framework originally established in 2016, ensuring its alignment with current policy priorities, including the implementation of the PIT, the post-production PNBP (non-tax state revenue) system, fishing vessel migration policies, and the Red-White Fisher Village (KNMP) Programme.

“The FMP is not merely an administrative document; it is the foundation of measurable, adaptive, and implementable fisheries management. It will serve as the primary reference for Fisheries Management Units (FMUs) in carrying out sustainable fisheries resource management,” Syahril stated.

At the forum, participants conducted an in-depth review of the FMA 715 FMP’s core components, including the status of fishery resources, aquatic ecosystems, fisheries socio-economic conditions, governance, as well as the development of management action plans and evaluation mechanisms.

Key strategic issues discussed included fish stocks that nearing or have already reached the point of overexploitated; destructive fishing practices; degradation of coastal habitats such as mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs; limitations in fisheries data availability; and the need to strengthen fisheries management institutions at the regional level.

Zulfikar, Head of the FMA-Based Fish Resource Management Working Group, presented the strategic direction for developing the FMA 715 FMP as part of efforts to strengthen measurable and sustainable fisheries governance in Bogor on 13 May 2026.

Zulfikar, Head of the FMA-Based Fish Resource Management Working Group, explained that the FMA 715 FMP is being developed in accordance with the Fisheries Law, Government Regulation No. 27 of 2021, and the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2025–2029. The document is also being prepared using data from multiple ministries, agencies, and regional governments, with the objective of producing more integrated and evidence-based fisheries management policies.

In addition to strengthening ecological sustainability, the forum also highlighted the importance of safeguarding the social and economic well-being of fishing communities. Discussions focused on optimising local wisdom practices, including the traditional Sasi system in Maluku and West Papua, enhancing fishers’ capacities, promoting alternative livelihoods, and strengthening business licensing and fishing vessel documentation.

Through the drafting of this FMP, MMAF also underscored the importance of establishing realistic and measurable action plans supported by adequate budgets, human resources, and clear implementation timelines. Such an approach is considered essential to ensure effective and accountable programme implementation while minimizing potential audit findings in the future.

The meeting resulted in several strategic follow-up actions, including the finalization of the action plan matrix, refinement of the draft FMP, preparation of a cross-unit implementation timeline, and acceleration of the harmonization process with MMAF’s Legal Bureau. The final FMA 715 FMP is targeted for submission to the Secretariat of the DGCF in July 2026, followed by submission to the Legal Bureau in August 2026.

Through cross-sectoral collaboration and the support of various partners, including GEF-6 CFI Indonesia, MMAF remains optimistic that the FMA 715 FMP will provide a critical foundation for sustainable capture fisheries management that is transparent, environmentally responsive, and capable of improving the well-being of fishing communities across eastern Indonesia.