Sustainable Tuna Fisheries: AP2HI Proposes 6 Strategic Steps for Pole & Line Revitalization to MMAF
Jakarta, August 13, 2026 — The Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI) held an audience with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), represented by the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries (DGCF), at the Fisher’s Meeting Room, Mina Bahari II Building, Jakarta. This meeting set the stage to discuss the future of Indonesia’s Pole & Line (P&L) fisheries, which are currently facing a significant decline in fleet numbers.
This audience also provided a platform for AP2HI to convey the various challenges faced by Pole & Line business actors in the field and to advocate for a comprehensive revitalization. This requires an integrated approach encompassing regulations, fishing grounds, live bait, fleets, logistics, technology, and economic incentives.
Pole and Line Fleet Crisis Amidst High Demand for Sustainable Tuna
Internal AP2HI data sounds an alarm for the sustainability of the national Pole & Line fisheries sector. Out of approximately 684 P&L vessels owned by AP2HI members in 2015, only about 233 active vessels remain today, representing a staggering drop to just 34 percent of the previous fleet size.
This reduction in the fleet potentially threatens the sustainability of fishermen’s and crews’ livelihoods, coastal community economies, the supply of raw materials for the processing industry, and the competitiveness of Indonesian tuna in the international market. Conversely, the global demand for verifiably sustainable tuna products continues to present a major opportunity for Indonesia.
AP2HI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Janti Djuari, emphasized that Pole & Line and Handline fisheries utilize selective and eco-friendly fishing methods, which have successfully supported access to global sustainability certifications such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
“Currently, the demand from international buyers is incredibly high for sustainably guaranteed tuna products caught by Pole & Line vessels. However, it is very difficult for us to fulfill this market demand in terms of quantity because the number of vessels continues to decline year by year. We urge the government to take swift and concrete steps to overcome this crisis,” asserted the AP2HI CEO.
This situation creates a paradox: while the market demands more sustainable tuna, the fleet capacity required to produce it is actually shrinking.
Six Strategic Requests for Pole & Line Revitalization
During the audience, AP2HI officially submitted 6 primary requests as urgent steps to restructure and revitalize Indonesia’s Pole & Line fisheries sector:
1.Management and Availability of Live Bait
Live bait is one of the most decisive factors in P&L operations. Unlike other fishing methods, P&L vessels must align their operations with bait availability and tuna movements. AP2HI encourages improved governance, access certainty, and the development of alternative live bait sources, including through aquaculture and technological research, so operations are not solely reliant on natural bait.
2. Access to Fishing Zones
The nature of P&L fishing requires the flexibility to follow seasons, tuna movements, and bait distribution. Excessively rigid spatial restrictions reduce fleet efficiency. AP2HI advocates for easier and more flexible access to fishing grounds for P&L vessels, while still considering resource sustainability and the interests of local fishermen.
3. Fish Aggregating Device (FAD/Rumpon) Arrangement
AP2HI pushes for a more effective and fair management of FAD locations to provide certainty for both business actors and fishermen. MMAF noted that the FAD legalization process still faces challenges, particularly regarding the Marine Space Utilization Permit (PKKPRL). Therefore, there is room to review and simplify the marine space licensing process for fishing facilities while maintaining monitoring and sustainability aspects.
4. Logistics, Transshipment, and Operational Efficiency
Because P&L operations are highly mobile, logistics are paramount. AP2HI encourages support for logistics systems and transshipment policies that can enhance operational efficiency without compromising monitoring and traceability. High operational costs, particularly fuel (BBM), remain a primary concern.
5. Modernization of Pole & Line Vessels
Modernization involves not only building new vessels but also implementing technologies that lower operational costs and boost productivity. Innovations discussed included onboard ice-making systems, optimization of fish and bait holds, and vessel designs tailored specifically for P&L operations.
6. Establishment of a Pole & Line Revitalization Forum
AP2HI proposed establishing a regular communication forum between the government and business actors. This forum would ensure that agreed-upon policies do not stop at the discussion phase but are implemented, monitored, evaluated, and adjusted to field conditions. It would serve as a collaborative space involving the government, industry players, fishermen, research institutions, academics, and relevant stakeholders.
Pushing for Fishing Intelligence to Reduce Operational Costs
Beyond the six main agendas, the audience highlighted the importance of utilizing technology and oceanographic information to help fishermen pinpoint fishing locations. AP2HI Advisor, Agus Apun Budiman, stressed the importance of reactivating the Fishing Ground Map (PDPI).
“Reactivating the fishing ground map is crucial to help traditional fishermen determine catch locations accurately. This will cut down search time so fishermen do not waste energy and vessel fuel in vain,” Agus explained.
According to him, relying solely on fish finders—which only detect conditions directly beneath the vessel—is insufficient. Moving forward, fishermen need predictive information on where fishing grounds are located. Utilizing satellite and oceanographic data—such as sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a, currents, upwelling, and downwelling—can be developed into predictive fishing ground intelligence.
Collaboration between MMAF, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), academics, and AP2HI could be a vital step in developing a more applicable fishing ground information system for fishermen, ultimately leading to shorter search times, lower fuel consumption, and higher productivity.
Positive Response and Support from DGCF
The Director General of Capture Fisheries, Drs. Lotharia Latif, S.H., M.Hum., responded positively to AP2HI’s aspirations and affirmed his commitment to supporting the sustainability of Pole & Line fisheries.
“The data showing the decline in the Pole & Line fleet indicates unpopularity, which is highly contradictory to the high market demand. It is time for the Pole & Line fishing industry to be given special incentives to attract investors because, from a sustainability aspect, this fishery is highly eco-friendly,” stated the Director General of Capture Fisheries.
The DGCF agreed that eco-friendly fishing businesses like Pole & Line deserve special attention, including the possibility of regulatory easing.
The meeting was also attended by key DGCF officials, including the Director of Fish Resources Management (PSDI), the Director of Fishing Business (UPI), and the Director of Fishing Vessels and Fishing Gears (KAPI). These three directorates were mandated to conduct further studies on the various P&L revitalization requests submitted by AP2HI.
From 684 to 233: Time to Move from Regulation to Revitalization
The drastic drop in fleet size from 684 to 233 vessels demonstrates that the challenges facing the Pole & Line sector cannot be solved with a single policy. Live bait, fishing zones, FADs, fuel, logistics, transshipment, vessel modernization, technology, and economic incentives are all deeply interconnected issues.
Therefore, AP2HI urges the government to view Pole & Line as a single, holistic fisheries ecosystem that needs comprehensive revitalization.
All attending parties agreed that Pole & Line is a vital part of Indonesia’s tuna fishing tradition and holds strategic value in meeting the global demand for sustainable tuna products. The challenge now is to ensure these commitments are translated into concrete studies, policies, programs, and incentives. Through collaboration, it is hoped that the revitalization of Pole & Line will not only halt the decline of the fleet but also rebuild Indonesia’s position as a major player in selective, sustainable, and globally competitive tuna fisheries.
Author: Meysella Anugrah, Allisya Syafiah Kusumawardani
