Committee II of the DPD RI Urges Regulatory Reforms: 196,000 North Sumatra Fishers Need Real Protection

21 July 2026 oleh admin

Medan, dpd.go.id – Members of the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) held a recess meeting with the North Sumatra Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. The meeting, attended by 21 participants in the agency’s conference room, focused on the implementation of Law No. 7 of 2016 on the Protection and Empowerment of Fishers, Fish Farmers, and Salt Farmers.

Opening the meeting, Dr. Badikenita Br. Sitepu, S.E., S.H., M.Si. emphasized that Committee II sought to gain firsthand insight into the realities faced by fishing communities.

“We need to understand whether the current regulations are truly adequate or whether they continue to create obstacles for fishers in carrying out their livelihoods,” she said.

She also encouraged the Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office to facilitate a direct dialogue between DPD RI members and approximately 50 fishers from various districts. In addition, Committee II plans to organize a Creative Fishers Competition in North Sumatra in collaboration with the relevant ministries and aligned with the provincial fisheries office’s existing programs.

The Head of the North Sumatra Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office, Sabar Jaya Telaumbanua, S.Pi., M.Si., outlined several major challenges currently facing the sector. Although approximately 299,000 hectares of marine conservation areas have been designated, the effectiveness of their management reached only 21 percent in 2025.

Another pressing issue is the absence of Sailing Clearance Orders in the Nias Islands, leaving thousands of fishers operating without the required legal documentation. In response, the Governor of North Sumatra has instructed officials to assess the feasibility of establishing a dedicated marine and fisheries agency for the Nias region.

The Office also highlighted that many fishers have yet to obtain a Small Vessel Pass (Pass Kecil), a basic registration document that every fisher is expected to possess.

From the budgetary perspective, Jaffar Siddiq, Head of the Marine Surveillance Division, explained that limited funding remains the primary obstacle to conducting effective maritime patrols. Although the Office has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to strengthen law enforcement at sea, implementation still requires significant improvement.

According to data from the Capture Fisheries Division, North Sumatra is home to 196,814 fishers, based on the Ministry’s integrated data portal. However, the allocation of subsidized fuel from Pertamina particularly for fishers in Belawan remains highly limited, making it difficult for the Office to issue sufficient technical recommendations.

The Red and White Fishing Village Program (Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih) was also discussed. To date, only four regencies/municipalities have completed the verification process, while 13 others remain on the waiting list. One major challenge is the requirement for a minimum land area of 0.5 hectares within a single contiguous location, a condition considered impractical for many coastal villages where available land is fragmented.

DPD RI urged the government to adopt a more flexible approach, allowing parcels of land with the same total area to qualify even if they are spread across multiple locations.

One of the meeting’s most critical findings concerned fisher insurance coverage. Despite the province having nearly 200,000 fishers, the regional budget is currently able to insure only 6,100 individuals. DPD RI therefore called for greater involvement from private-sector partners or alternative financing mechanisms to bridge the protection gap, considering the high occupational risks faced by fishers.

The meeting concluded at 11:20 a.m. (WIB) with several key recommendations, including strengthening coordination between the Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office and marine-sector organizations, accelerating the expansion of the Red and White Fishing Village Program, addressing the continued rise in fish feed prices, and scheduling a follow-up meeting with coastal villages in the Langkat area after 3 August.