Overview

With a total aquatic territory that amounts to 6.4 million km², which also encompasses over 16,761 large and small islands,[1] Indonesia boasts an abundant potential in terms of its marine and coastal resources, which include not only biological resources such as fish and other forms of marine life but also non-biological resources which have yet to be fully explored.[2] In terms of the various resources that can be found in Indonesia’s coastal areas and small islands (collectively referred to as “Coastal Lands”) specifically, the utilization of said resources is of the utmost importance for local residents, designated indigenous communities (Masyarakat Hukum Adat – “MHA”) and traditional communities (collectively referred to as “Coastal Residents”), which are largely reliant on fisheries and other resources available in Coastal Lands in order to support their day-to-day lives.[3]