Indonesia proposes nearly 24M hectares of new Marine Protected Areas

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and environmental organization Konservasi Indonesia (KI) are pressing for the urgent establishment of two massive Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas (LSMPAs) in the Banda Sea and off the west coast of Sumatra.

The proposed conservation areas cover approximately 11.3 million hectares in the Banda Sea and 12.9 million hectares off western Sumatra, spanning six provinces—Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Lampung and Banten—as well as the Sunda Strait.

"Most marine conservation areas in Indonesia are small and concentrated in coastal zones,” the ministry’s Director of Ecosystem Conservation Firdaus Agung said in a statement on Friday.

“Large-scale marine conservation areas play a strategic role in protecting marine biodiversity, maintaining habitat connectivity and safeguarding deep-sea ecosystems," he added.

Studies indicate that the Banda Sea harbors rich deep-sea biodiversity, including 397 coral species, over 100 fish species and 44 deep-water marine animal species.

Meanwhile, the waters off the west coast of Sumatra represent one of the country's most productive fishing regions, where a 2024 study revealed eight key commercial species are currently being harvested beyond safe biological limits.

Senior Vice President and Executive Chair of Konservasi Indonesia Meizani Irmadhiany explained that the Banda Sea serves as a crucial economic lifeline for over 163,000 fishers in Maluku, while acting as a migration corridor for pygmy blue whales and whale sharks, as well as a nursery ground for yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tuna.

"The development of the Banda LSMPA has the potential to support a conservation approach that goes beyond protecting specific sites; it also maintains connectivity between habitats, populations, and ecological processes at the seascape scale," Meizani stated.

A cost-benefit analysis indicates that establishing these two protected areas—totalling nearly 24 million hectares—is projected to generate a net present value of around Rp18.5 trillion (approximately US$1 billion) by 2045, by allowing fish stocks to recover and spill over into surrounding fishing zones.

By comparison, Australia’s 35-million-hectare Great Barrier Reef generates AU$6.1 billion (US$4.29 billion) annually through sustainable management and tourism.

Firdaus added that the boundaries of both areas remain indicative and will undergo formal data verification, public consultation and cross-sector coordination through a multi-stakeholder working group prior to official designation.

Related news: Indonesia reaffirms commitment to ocean-climate action at UN meeting

Translator: M. Baqir Idrus Alatas, Yashinta Difa
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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