Sector
Fishery
Indonesia, boasting the title of the world’s largest archipelagic country with a vast sea area of 5.8 million square kilometers, stands as one of the largest producers and suppliers in the global fisheries market. The abundance of sea area provides Indonesia with a wealth of fisheries products, making fisheries a national leading sector in the country.
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Fishery
Indonesia, boasting the title of the world’s largest archipelagic country with a vast sea area of 5.8 million square kilometers, stands as one of the largest producers and suppliers in the global fisheries market. The abundance of sea area provides Indonesia with a wealth of fisheries products, making fisheries a national leading sector in the country.
There are 23 regions where fisheries stand out as a leading sector, supporting local economies and providing food security. These regions encompass Aceh, Bengkulu, Riau, Lampung, South Sumatra, Central Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and North Kalimantan. Other regions include Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku, North Maluku, Papua, West Papua, and Bangka Belitung.
In 2022, Indonesia’s fisheries sector contributed a total of Rp505 trillion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Building this strong foundation, the country set an ambitious target of reaching US$7.2 billion in fishery exports by the end of 2023. Previously, total fishery product exports had hovered around US$5 billion to US$6 billion.
Supporting the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP is its production. Throughout the third quarter of 2023, Indonesia’s fisheries production totaled 24.74 million tons. This figure includes both capture fisheries and aquaculture. In aquaculture, the main commodities are seaweed cultivation and shrimp cultivation, while in capture fisheries, the main commodities are tuna, skipjack tuna, and mackerel tuna.
Furthermore, Indonesia’s fisheries sector is experiencing a surge in investment. By the third quarter of 2023, the sector had attracted a total of Rp9.56 trillion in investment, with significant contributions from a mix of domestic sources at Rp5.32 trillion, foreign investors at Rp1.4 trillion, and credit sources at Rp2.84 trillion. Notably, China is the largest foreign investor, contributing Rp370.74 billion, followed by Malaysia with Rp240.4 billion, and Switzerland with Rp152.89 billion, highlighting the increasing international interest in Indonesia’s fisheries potential.
While Indonesia boasts impressive fisheries production and growing investments in its fisheries sector, it is vital to uphold fisheries regulations. These regulations ensure that this valuable sector thrives alongside healthy marine ecosystems. It is reported that Indonesia is scheduled to enforce a new fisheries policy in 2025, which will see quotas assigned to industrial, local, and non-commercial fishers across six designated fishing zones, covering all 11 fisheries management areas (FMAs) in Indonesia. The new quota system responds to a worrying rise in overexploited FMAs, which have increased to 53 percent from 44 percent in 2017.
Latest News
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has struck a significant agreement with major cellular service providers in Indonesia, granting it access to users’ private information for law enforcement purposes. While the reasons for the deal look convincing, the development raises serious concerns about potential violations of fundamental citizen rights and may conflict with a Constitutional Court ruling regarding surveillance and wiretapping.
The strategic agreement came on the heels of public scrutiny over the AGO in May, when Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel were deployed to secure prosecutors’ offices nationwide and ensure operational continuity.
On June 25, deputy attorney general for intelligence Reda Mantovani formalized the collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding with PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel), PT Indosat and PT XL Axiata. Reda explained the cooperation was vital for the intelligence division, supporting law enforcement through investigations, security operations and engagement initiatives. This includes installing and operating surveillance devices and providing telecommunications data records.
The AGO asserts that Article 30B of Law No. 11/2021, which amends Law No. 16/2004 on the prosecutor’s office, provides the legal basis for overseeing multimedia activities. Reda also claimed that this collaboration guaranteed the collected data and information were of indisputable quality and validity, meeting the A1 intelligence classification.
With Telkomsel remaining Indonesia’s largest mobile service provider with 159.9 million subscribers as of September 2024, followed by Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (100.9 million) and XL Axiata (93.3 million), the memorandum has ignited significant privacy concerns. The AGO’s wiretapping authority lacks independent oversight, increasing the risk of abuse of power, especially since the prosecutorial service operates as an executive branch instrument under the current administration.
The law equips law enforcement agencies, the AGO, the police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), with surveillance power, but so far only the KPK has remained free of abuse. The eavesdropping authority has proved to help the KPK catch big names who previously enjoyed impunity.
There were also reports of alleged abuse of wiretapping power involving the police, as in the instances of arrest or phone hacking targeting government critics.
House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), underscored the crucial balance needed between law enforcement efforts and protecting citizens’ constitutional rights. She further emphasized the importance of building public trust in legal institutions by ensuring adherence to legal boundaries.
In a similar tone, Nasir Djamil, a member of House Commission III overseeing the AGO, questioned the memorandum, recalling Constitutional Court Decision No. 5/PUU-VIII/2010, which mandates that surveillance and wiretapping must be governed by a specific law. He noted that despite multiple invitations to stakeholders, a proposed Wiretapping Law had yet to enter formal legislative discussions.
Moreover, this agreement threatens individuals’ personal data rights, which are legally protected by the principle of data subject consent. This means the AGO could access private data held by telecommunications companies under the pretext of law enforcement.
With approximately 300 million mobile users in Indonesia potentially affected, there is a real risk of mass surveillance being conducted without the tight regulations, court permission and limited timeframes that such actions should legally require.
