ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia has marked a major milestone in its national ocean protection agenda.
Throughout 2025, the country added 1.09 million hectares of new marine conservation areas, far exceeding the initial target of 700,000 hectares and bringing the total extent of Indonesia’s marine protected areas to 30.9 million hectares. The achievement reinforces Indonesia’s position as one of the world’s leading nations in marine conservation commitments.
Director General of Marine Spatial Management at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Koswara, emphasized that the progress is not limited to spatial expansion, but also reflects a significant improvement in management effectiveness.
By the end of 2025, 19.27 million hectares of marine conservation areas were under effective management, surpassing the government’s target of 18.5 million hectares.
“This achievement is the result of strong synergy among ministries, local governments, universities, and national and international conservation partners. Going forward, these efforts will be further strengthened through PROTEKSI—the Integrated Program for Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation,” Koswara said in an official statement quoted on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
From Area Targets to Effective Conservation
This milestone signals a crucial policy shift in Indonesia’s marine governance—from simply designating conservation areas to ensuring they are effectively managed. For years, marine conservation worldwide has faced criticism over so-called paper parks, protected areas that exist legally but lack enforcement and ecological impact.
By exceeding its effectiveness targets, Indonesia demonstrates a growing commitment to conservation as a development instrument, not a constraint on economic growth. This approach is particularly vital given the country’s heavy reliance on marine resources to sustain millions of small-scale fishers and coastal communities.
Species and Genetic Conservation: Safeguarding Fisheries Sustainability
In 2025, the ministry reported full implementation of management measures for 420 fisheries species, alongside a significant expansion in species protection through the designation of 48 marine species as legally protected. These measures strengthen biodiversity protection while ensuring the long-term sustainability of national fish stocks.
At the global level, this aligns with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which promotes science-based and measurable conservation of marine biodiversity.
Blue Carbon: Conservation with Economic Value
Indonesia’s marine conservation gains also play a strategic role in climate change mitigation. By 2025, the government had prepared 20 blue carbon planning sites, with five locations officially registered in the National Climate Change Registry System (SRN PPI).
Updated national data identify 2.27 million hectares of shallow marine benthic habitats—including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, macroalgae, and substrates with high rehabilitation potential. These ecosystems form a critical foundation for the expansion of blue carbon markets, strengthening Indonesia’s climate diplomacy while unlocking new conservation financing mechanisms.
Mangroves, Marine Debris, and Coastal Resilience
To enhance coastal and small-island resilience, KKP continued large-scale mangrove and seagrass rehabilitation and launched the development of the National Mangrove Area in Kamal Muara, Jakarta. Designed as a hub for restoration, conservation, education, and community-based mangrove ecotourism, the site represents an integrated model of ecological protection and local economic empowerment.
Efforts to combat marine debris were also intensified through the Healthy Seas Free from Waste (Laut SEBASAH) initiative, which promotes cross-sectoral and interregional collaboration to curb land-based waste entering the ocean.
Blue Economy and Tangible Coastal Benefits
Throughout 2025, KKP strengthened marine services as a pillar of the blue economy, including the implementation of rig-to-reef programs, digital monitoring of coastal reclamation, expansion of blue carbon trading, and improved governance of marine tourism and licensing.
These initiatives generated IDR 38.43 billion in non-tax state revenue (PNBP) and attracted IDR 1.49 trillion in investment, while directly empowering coastal communities through the development of 36 “Kampung Lautra” (Marine Villages) located around conservation areas.
Parallel to this, progress toward salt self-sufficiency was marked by the launch of Phase I of the National Salt Industry Center (K-SIGN) in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara, alongside the revitalization of community salt ponds in key producing regions. These programs absorbed 1,180 workers during the construction phase alone.
Conservation as a National Development Strategy
Koswara stressed that these achievements reflect the ministry’s consistent effort to balance marine ecosystem protection with economic growth for coastal communities.
With the addition of 1.09 million hectares of marine conservation areas in 2025, Indonesia is not only strengthening ocean resilience but also laying a long-term foundation for inclusive economic growth and climate action—positioning the ocean as a strategic asset for present and future generations. (AT Network)
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