The Future of Southeast Sulawesi Tuna Fisheries: KPBP V Synergy for Sustainable Governance
(KENDARI) – Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) possesses one of the largest potentials for Tuna, Skipjack, and Mackerel (TCT) fisheries in Indonesia. With an estimated fish resource potential reaching 566,891 tons per year, the province plays a pivotal role in sustaining food security and coastal economies, while simultaneously bolstering the competitiveness of Indonesian fishery products in the international market.
The efforts to strengthen governance in Southeast Sulawesi are not an isolated endeavor. In every initiative to establish a Fisheries Co-Management Committee (FCMC/KPBP) across various regions, AP2HI never walks alone. We consistently collaborate closely with the local Provincial Marine and Fisheries Service (DKP) of Southeast Sulawesi as the regional authority, while partnering with strategic civil society organizations such as Masyarakat dan Perikanan Indonesia (MDPI) and Yayasan IPNLF Indonesia (YII), tailoring our approach to the specific focus areas of each advocacy region.
This adaptive, cross-sectoral collaboration has been successfully replicated and rigorously monitored across multiple territories. Recent milestones of this synergy can be observed in the KPBP Meeting in Sorong, Southwest Papua, as well as the implementation of the KPBP in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.
However, this immense potential is also confronted by a myriad of challenges. The management of fish resources must effectively address the mounting pressure on fish stocks, sub-optimal regulation of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs/Rumpon), the critical need to strengthen data and reporting systems, and the increasingly stringent global market demands for legal, traceable, and sustainable seafood products. Addressing these multidimensional challenges requires robust collaboration among the government, industry players, academics, civil society organizations, and local fishers.
Why Should the Tuna Industry Care About FCMC?
The Tuna, Skipjack, and Mackerel (TCT) Fisheries Co-Management Committee (KPBP) of Southeast Sulawesi is a multi-stakeholder collaborative forum established under the Governor of Southeast Sulawesi Decree No. 691 of 2021. It is designed to support the sustainable, inclusive, and data-driven management of TCT fisheries.
As a consultative forum, the FCMC serves as a central hub for coordination, communication, and policy advocacy, bringing together central and regional governments, business actors, fisheries associations, academics, NGOs, and fishers to formulate collective solutions for fisheries management.
Following up on the outcomes of the IV KPBP Meeting in 2025, Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI), together with Yayasan IPNLF Indonesia, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), and the Provincial Government of Southeast Sulawesi, reconvened for the 5th Regular TCT KPBP Meeting on May 21, 2026, in Kendari.
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This meeting aimed to fortify TCT fisheries governance, enhance stakeholder synergy, strengthen the integration of the FCMC with the Fisheries Management Institution (LPP) of WPPNRI 714, and drive the export competitiveness of Southeast Sulawesi’s fishery products.
The summit was attended by 54 stakeholder representatives, comprising central government officials, provincial and municipal governments, LPP WPPNRI 714, academics, business actors, fisheries associations, civil society organizations, and fisher representatives. The presence of these diverse elements reflects a shared commitment that effective fisheries management can only be achieved through cross-sectoral collaboration and data-driven decision-making.
In his opening remarks, the Vice Governor of Southeast Sulawesi, Dr. Ir. Hugua, emphasized that the marine and fisheries sector is a core pillar of the region’s agro-maritime development. TCT commodities possess high economic and export value; therefore, their management must be supported by robust data strengthening, systematic reporting, rigorous surveillance, spatial regulation of FADs, and the utilization of integrated monitoring technologies to ensure the sustainability of fish resources.
This urgency was reinforced by a presentation from the Directorate of Fish Resource Management of the KKP, which noted that WPPNRI 713, 714, and 715 account for approximately 51 percent of the national tuna production. The government also critically highlighted the importance of FAD spatial planning, given the high number of unregistered and unpermitted fishing aids. Furthermore, the implementation of Quota-Based Catch Policies (Penangkapan Ikan Terukur/PIT) and the reinforcement of data systems are viewed as vital instruments to maintain the equilibrium between resource utilization and sustainability.
Beyond resource management, the forum also addressed lingering challenges in elevating export competitiveness. A presentation by the Southeast Sulawesi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) (Note: Insert KADIN Sultra link if available) revealed that bureaucratic simplification, logistics cost efficiency, port infrastructure enhancement, and distribution access for small-scale fishers remain structural hurdles that must be collectively resolved to solidify the position of Southeast Sulawesi’s seafood products in the global market.
Strategic Actions to Rescue the Tuna Granary
Discussions during the forum underscored that these challenges cannot be resolved unilaterally. Consequently, the delegates formulated and agreed upon a series of priority actions as a mutual agenda to strengthen governance and enhance the competitiveness of the TCT fisheries sector:
- Strengthening Fishing Effort Controls: Regulating fishing days, fishing seasons, and evaluating new vessel permits based on scientific assessments while considering the socio-economic welfare of fishers.
- FAD Governance: Organizing the licensing and inventory system for Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to ensure it is orderly, effective, and equitable.
- Traceability and Certification: Fortifying recording, reporting, and catch traceability systems, alongside sustainability certifications, to comply with stringent international market requirements.
- Supporting Eco-Friendly Fleets: Ensuring the sustainability of the Pole & Line fleet through the provision of adequate live bait supplies.
- Supply Chain Optimization: Improving product quality, export readiness, investment, and the development of a sustainable fisheries supply chain.
- Labor and Fisher Protection: Strengthening safeguards for fishers’ rights, safety, and the broader aspects of fisheries labor.
- Institutional Consolidation: Reinforcing the institutional capacity of the FCMC and its integration with LPP WPPNRI 714 to support area-based fisheries management.
All these recommendations reflect a unified consensus: the sustainability of fish resources and export competitiveness are mutually complementary objectives.
Strengthening governance, data systems, traceability, and responsible fishing practices is not only imperative for marine conservation but also serves as the foundational bedrock to sustain global market trust in Indonesian fishery products.
As a direct follow-up, the outcomes of the 5th KPBP Meeting will be integrated into the annual strategic agenda of LPP WPPNRI 714. The Provincial Government of Southeast Sulawesi is expected to continually strengthen the FCMC as a multi-stakeholder consultative forum, integrate FCMC programs into regional development planning, facilitate cross-departmental coordination, elevate fisheries data quality, and stimulate investment in supply chains that champion Pole & Line and Handline operations as the premier eco-friendly fisheries of Sulawesi.
Guarding the Future of Indonesian Tuna Exports
The future of Southeast Sulawesi’s Tuna Granary is not merely about export metrics; it is about the very pulse of thousands of coastal fishers’ livelihoods and the resilience of our increasingly vulnerable marine ecosystems. The synergy forged during the 5th KPBP is a tangible line of defense to ensure our oceans are not exploited beyond their capacity to recover.
Fair and sustainable fishing practices demand active participation from the supply chain’s origin to its final destination. Support the ongoing efforts of AP2HI and grassroots organizations in protecting the rights of small-scale fishers and maintaining the equilibrium of Indonesia’s seas.
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