The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries held the 11th National Conference on Management of Coastal, Marine, and Small Islands (KONAS Pesisir XII) on 27-29 November 2023  in Potianak, West Kalimantan, to promote communication and sustainable coastal and marine management. The event features various activities such as exhibitions, the Indonesian Coastal School Corner, a coastal scientific forum, and other 18 side events covering diverse topics which are related to the conference theme. 

Themed  “Synergy of Scalable and Sustainable Coastal, Small Island, and Marine Management for Blue Economy,” the conference aimed to explore issues and data for sustainable use of resources, integrate development plans, and formulate alternative solutions for integrated coastal management. The conference resulted in the preparation of a legal basis for coastal area and small island management.

Coral Triangle Center (CTC) is one of the key players in Indonesia’s coastal and marine ecosystems, promoting sustainable practices and integrated management. CTC’s local partners Yayasan Cahaya Samudera Indonesia (YCSI) from Banda Islands and Community Surveillance Group (Pokmaswas) Hena Berkarya from Buano Island, received prestigious coastal awards during the conference. This recognition highlights CTC’s impactful collaborations and contributions to conservation initiatives, further solidifying its position as a catalyst for positive change.

During the conference, CTC participated in various workshops, discussions, and the formulation of the Pontianak Declaration—a set of 13 recommendations generated during the conference. These recommendations will be taken into consideration when developing work plans and implementing program activities on the ground. This presents CTC’s commitment to shaping policies and promoting sustainable practices in the coastal and marine management sector.

Dr. Hesti Widodo, CTC’s Senior Program Manager, was selected to moderate a side event on the role of parties in managing OECM in Indonesia. The event highlighted the challenges in implementing the OECM strategy, one of which is participants’ unfamiliarity with the strategy concepts, demonstrated by 48 percent of participants reporting their lack of exposure to concepts such as  operational definition, criteria, legal basis, institutionalization, financing, and mentoring. 

The event emphasized marine conservation within the blue economy strategy, which aims for 30 percent conservation by 2045. The event identified six key themes for OECM: operational definition, criteria, legal basis, institutionalization, financing, and mentoring. Several challenges include reliance on government systems, untapped community-led conservation efforts, and the potential of non-government and business actors. The government should focus on improving data, delegating authority, and clarifying boundary criteria. Recommendations for the government included improving data, delegating authority, and clarifying boundary criteria. 

Writers: Arapa Efendi, Hesti Widodo
Photos: Rili Djohani/CTC, Hesti Widodo/CTC, Ray Chandra/RARE