Efforts to Establish Marine Protected Areas in Lingga and Batam, Riau Islands Province

The provincial government is accelerating the designation process of MPAs in Lingga and Batam, and YKAN fully supports this commitment. This initiative is carried out in close collaboration with the Marine and Fisheries Office (DKP) and the Marine Conservation Zoning Working Group (Pokja). This technical support is part of the Koralestari Program.

One of the key forms of YKAN’s support is facilitating public consultation processes. Public consultations held in September and October 2025 were attended by hundreds of participants, including representatives from government, academia, civil society organizations, religious leaders, women’s groups, youth, and local resource users from all villages included in the planned conservation zones. Community involvement is crucial in shaping the direction of MPA management.

YKAN’s other support focuses on strengthening marine governance based on science, partnerships, and community welfare. We assist the local government in providing ecosystem data, facilitating participatory mapping, and building capacity for MPA management.

Protecting nature is a shared effort to sustain life. The establishment of MPAs in Lingga and Batam is not only about protecting marine biodiversity—it also aims to create a blue economy future, where nature conservation goes hand in hand with improving the livelihoods of coastal communities.