Ast. Decentralization and Regional Autonomy of Kemnko Polhukam  Drs. Syamsudin & staff with BATIN Kepri and reps. of Bintan fishermen, & Coastal Communities

Meeting between Batin kepri , Bintan Fishermen community and the Provincial DKP head ,Drs Said Sudrajad

Batin Kepri together with Bintan fishermen community take a group photo in front of the provincial DKP office, after meeting with the provincial head of the office

The government through ministerial regulation (Permen) KKP Number 18/PERMEN-KP/2014 concerning Fisheries Management Areas of the Republic of Indonesia, (WPPNRI) which considers the available carrying capacity and sustainable use of fish resources by dividing 11 fisheries management areas. This directive was then expanded and enhanced  by Government Regulation (PP) no. 11 of 2023 concerning Measurable Fishing, aims to optimize the sustainable management and utilization of marine resources in order to increase state income in the field of high seas fishing. However, these regulations are not comprehensive, especially PP N0. 11 of 2023, because it does not consider all the positive and negative aspects that could impact local coastal communities. The PP seems to have been made haphazardly without any scientific studies to support the ruling. One of the local fishing groups that has the potential to be impacted negatively from this regulation is the Bintan fishermen community. The fishermen strongly protested against:

1. Implementation of quota system rules,

2. Permitted fishing period;

3  Allowable fishing zone within  0-12 nautical miles for local fishermen;

4. The requirement to obtain an official fishing business permit which applies to all type of fishermen, small and large; and

5. All other administrative regulations that are considered very burdensome and time consuming.

The fishermen think these provisions are extremely counter-productive, potentially would reduce large chunk of their income and take up huge portion of their working hours away form fishing because a lot of time is spent on administering administrative provisions and consequently has the potential to weaken the local community's economy and cost prohibitive.

Batin Kepri, representing the fishermen, called upon the office of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Service (DKP) of Riau Islands Province. The arrival of Batin Kepri and the group of fishermen was welcomed by the Head of DKP at that time, Said Sudrajad. The group also stopped by at  the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam) of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta on Monday 24 July 2023 to complain about their fate and submit a statement of  assertion. There they were greeted directly by the Assistant Deputy for Decentralization and Regional Autonomy Coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Drs. Shamsuddin. On the same day, Batin Kepri held an audience with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenkomarves) of the Republic of Indonesia. There, Batin Kepri explained the reasons why the coastal communities and fishermen group of Bintan firmly rejected the implementation of this regulation. Batin Kepri succeeded in convincing the two coordinating ministries that PP No.11 of 2023 must be reviewed because:

1. Potentially would weaken the economy of local communities,

2. Miss the target it intended,

3. Counter productive

4. Wastes of time and increases the financial burden on fishermen

5. Violates the spirit of Regional Autonomy (Otda) as regulated in Law N0.32 of 2004 by eroding the effective area of ​​Riau Islands provincial government authority ,

6. Denying the existence of local wisdom which is inherent in regional identity and coastal communities which has historically been dwelling in the same area from generation to generation since time immemorial and is recognized by the state as stated in Article 1 Paragraph 30 of Law no. 32 of 2009.

7. Appear to be made haphazardly without any basis in scientific studies

The government, through the Ministry of Maritime & Fisheries , finally issued a moratorium on the implementation of  the regulation until January 2025. Earlier this year the moratorium was extended again until an undetermined time. One of the negative impacts of this regulation is that it reduces the provincial government's de facto realm of ​​jurisdiction. This province, with the restrictions of only 12 nautical miles from the coastline, is left with only 6% of area of authority from the total stated official territory. The map illustration on top this page provides a clear picture of the efficacious sphere of control for ​​the provincial government if the PP comes into force.

Map of the effective sphere of authority of the Riau Islands Provincial Government if PP no. 11 of 2023 comes into force

Batin Kepri meeting with Bintan fishermen community and representatives KEMENKOMARVES in Jakarta

Clockwise:

Batin Kepri together with the Bintan fishermen community held a peaceful strike in front of the provincial DKP office to  oppose PP no. 11 of 2023

Measured piscary WP 711