At Kesatuan Nelayan Tradisional Indonesia (KNTI), the Indonesian Traditional Fisherfolk Union, we believe that small-scale fishers must be recognised not only as beneficiaries of fisheries policy, but as rights holders and active partners in protecting the sea.
For coastal communities, the ocean is not an abstract environmental issue. It is the source of food, income and identity. When fishing grounds are damaged, fish stocks decline or destructive fishing practices such as trawling take place, small-scale fishers and their families are often among the first to feel the consequences. They are also often the first to see the problem.
Fishers spend their lives on the water. They understand local fishing grounds, seasons and changing marine conditions. They know when destructive practices are taking place and when competition over fishing areas is increasing. Yet too often, this knowledge is not sufficiently connected to the systems responsible for fisheries monitoring, enforcement and decision-making.
This is why KNTI has developed the Jaga Laut Movement — meaning “protecting the sea”. Jaga Laut is a community-led movement through which fishers take an active role in protecting their fishing grounds and marine resources.
Through Jaga Laut, fishers can monitor destructive fishing practices, document problems, report violations and communicate with relevant government and law enforcement agencies. But Jaga Laut is about more than reporting illegal activity. It is about strengthening organisation, solidarity and awareness among fishing communities, while creating a stronger role for fishers in the governance of the sea.
With support from the TBT grant, KNTI has been implementing the project Promoting the Rights of Small-Scale Fishers in Bottom Trawling-Impacted Areas. The project has focused on strengthening Jaga Laut and establishing community Task Forces in areas affected by trawling and other destructive fishing practices.
The work has taken place in Gresik in East Java, Labuhanbatu Utara in North Sumatra, Kotabaru in South Kalimantan and Seluma in Bengkulu, in collaboration with AKAR Bengkulu.
The project has helped establish and strengthen Jaga Laut Task Forces, provide basic monitoring support, improve communication between fishing communities and enforcement agencies, and create spaces for public discussion on trawling and the rights of small-scale fishers.
It has also supported sustainable fisheries training and alternative livelihood and business development for coastal women. Protecting the sea and strengthening household livelihoods must go hand in hand. Coastal communities cannot be expected to protect marine resources while facing increasing economic insecurity. We have already seen the potential of stronger community organisation.
In Gresik, reports from fishers about destructive fishing practices were followed up by POLAIRUD, resulting in the confiscation and destruction of trawl nets. This was significant because it demonstrated that information from fishing communities can lead to concrete enforcement action.
In Kotabaru, communication and coordination between small-scale fishers and PSDKP improved. In Labuhanbatu Utara, the local government initiated a multi-stakeholder forum to address trawl-related issues and involved KNTI in discussions on local regulations aimed at improving monitoring and protecting traditional fishers.
Trawling and other destructive practices continue to threaten fishing grounds and livelihoods. Enforcement can be difficult, particularly when harmful activities take place at night. Remote communities may have limited communication access, while extreme weather and conflict over fishing gear create further challenges. For these reasons, community-based monitoring needs stronger recognition and support.
At KNTI, we would like to see Jaga Laut recognised as an important partner in fisheries protection. Government agencies, fisheries authorities, PSDKP, POLAIRUD and local governments should establish regular coordination mechanisms with fishing communities and ensure that reports are followed up quickly and transparently.
We also need stronger protection for traditional fishing grounds, clear and consistent enforcement against destructive fishing, and greater participation by fishers in fisheries planning and management.
Ten years from now, we hope Jaga Laut will be active across many coastal areas in Indonesia. Task Forces should be recognised as trusted community partners, equipped with clear procedures, basic monitoring tools and reliable access to reporting channels. We want to see sustainable fishing livelihoods, stronger cooperatives and local economic initiatives, successful women-led businesses and young people taking leadership roles in coastal communities.
Jaga Laut shows that protecting the ocean cannot depend only on government patrols or regulations on paper. Communities who live by the sea must be part of the solution. For KNTI, Jaga Laut is more than a monitoring system. It is a movement for dignity, rights, sustainable livelihoods and a healthier ocean.
Written by Niko Amrulloh, Kesatuan Nelayan Tradisional Indonesia (KNTI)
