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Sustainable Fisheries

TURF-Reserves

Community-Based Fisheries Management (CBFM)

Pulau TNS Maluku
Photo caption YKAN scientific expedition to TNS Island, Maluku. © Adia Puja Pradana/YKAN

Community-Based Fisheries Management: The TURF Approach (Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries)

Empowering fishers with collective rights and a voice in the sustainable, long-term management of marine resources.

Konsultasi publik zonasi TURF Reserves
Zonasi TURF-Reserves
TURF RESERVES Public consultation with Indigenous peoples and local communities on zoning plans for conservation area. © Adia Puja/YKAN | Della Paramita/YKAN

Snapper and grouper are among the most valuable fish species in tropical marine ecosystems. In Indonesia, the fisheries targeting these demersal (bottom-dwelling) species produced nearly 120,000 tonnes per year in 2019 and 2020, with an estimated global market value of almost US$1.3 billion.

Notably, most of this catch comes from small-scale fisheries, operated by vessels under 10 metres in length, which contribute more than half of the national total. However, around 64% of these vessels remain unregistered, making effective management and oversight difficult under the current system.

Community-Based Fisheries Management One strategic approach is the adoption of TURF - Territorial Use Right of Fishery (TURF) or Community-Based Fisheries Management. This approach focuses on granting communities the authority to manage nearby coastal fishing areas.

Weak Regulations in Small-Scale Fisheries Can:

  1. Lead to overfishing

    Without regulations on catch limits, fish size, or fishing seasons, fishers often overharvest to meet their immediate economic needs. This places heavy pressure on fish stocks and undermines their long-term sustainability.

  2. Deplete populations of key species

    Species such as snapper, grouper, parrotfish, and sharks play vital roles in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Without proper management, their populations continue to decline.

  3. Damage coral reef ecosystems

    Ecosystem imbalances lead to excessive algae growth, which smothers corals and ultimately accelerates reef degradation. Destructive fishing (such as bombs or cyanide) is also often used due to weak monitoring.

For example, grouper, a key predator on coral reefs, has suffered a sharp decline driven by strong market demand for live fish. Parrotfish, which help maintain ecosystem balance by grazing on algae, are also under threat from rising fishing pressure. Combined with the impacts of climate change, these pressures weaken the resilience and diminish the biodiversity of our coral reefs.

FISHING ZONES Community participation in mapping and establishing fisheries management zones. © Adia Puja Pradana/YKAN

To address the numerous challenges in fisheries management, the TURF-Reserve system, which combines Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries with designated no-take and restricted-access reserves, is recommended as a solution. This approach establishes managed fishing areas designed specifically for small-scale fisheries, particularly those not yet covered by formal licensing systems.

Currently, only about a third of the total catch comes from large, licensed vessels. This shows that traditional license-based regulation alone has not been effective in ensuring the sustainability of marine resources.

The TURF-Reserve approach offers local fishers an opportunity to take an active role in managing fisheries sustainably. Granting them rights to manage a defined area encourages fishers to safeguard the resources that sustain their livelihoods.

However, for this approach to succeed over the long term, several improvements are needed. These include stronger rule enforcement, better economic incentives, local policy adjustments, well-designed conservation areas, and the active participation of fishers in decision-making.

With shared commitment and adaptive policies, the TURF-Reserve approach holds strong potential to sustain Indonesia’s highly valuable demersal fisheries.