Indonesia'S New Fisheries Law: Will It Encourage Sustainable Management Or Exacerbate Over-Exploitation?

Indonesia is at a vital juncture in the direction of its fisheries management. There is ample evidence that fisheries resources throughout Indonesia continue to decline and that over-fishing not only persists but is a growing problem. Without government intervention, fisheries, like other natural resources, are subject to open access and therefore over-exploitation. Confronted with the drive to increase fisheries production to benefit the economy, spur business development, provide an essential food source and maintain local livelihoods, the government must at the same time seek to ensure that this resource is not depleted. The enactment of a new statute governing fisheries affords an opportunity to balance these competing goals and address some serious problems in fisheries management and enforcement. This paper analyses Law 31/2004 on Fisheries and concludes that, given early indications on implementation, the government should more aggressively improve the regulatory and enforcement mechanisms needed to achieve sustainable fisheries management.