The First Public Consultation was Held in Lingga Regency to Establish Marine Protected Areas

The Riau Islands Provincial Government, through the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (DKP), in collaboration with the Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), conducted the inaugural series of public consultations in Lingga Regency from 22 to 29 September 2025. These consultations mark a critical phase in establishing the Lingga and Batam Marine Protected Areas, which aim to strengthen marine ecosystem protection and enhance the welfare of coastal communities.

The consultations were conducted by the Zoning Working Group (Pokja) in collaboration with stakeholders in 32 coastal villages in Lingga and Batam, which are potential conservation areas. The forum served as an active space for local communities, fishers, traditional leaders, women leaders, and village governments to provide input and recommendations on the draft zoning plan.

Sudrajad, Head of the Riau Islands DKP, emphasized during a technical consultation with the Zoning Working Group that the success of conservation areas can only be achieved through early community involvement. “This public consultation reflects our commitment to ensure that the zoning documents are not only technically robust but also aligned with socio-cultural conditions. Marine conservation areas are not just about protecting the sea but also ensuring resources remain sustainable to support coastal food security and the economy,” he said.

The importance of a strong data foundation in designing marine protected areas was also highlighted by Raja Taufik Zulfikar, Head of Marine, Conservation, and Monitoring at DKP Riau Islands. “Zoning plans must refer to accurate biophysical, social, economic, and cultural data to achieve the objectives and targets of the conservation area. With a solid data-driven approach, marine protected areas can safeguard biodiversity while harmonizing various activities in the area, such as sustainable fishing, aquaculture, tourism, and shipping routes,” he explained.

Coastal communities are united by one common hope. Mariana, the Head of Penaah Village, expressed her gratitude for the program, emphasizing its alignment with the needs of local fishers. She stated, “We warmly welcome this program. Fishers rely on the sea for their livelihood. If coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves are damaged, our catches decrease, and we experience the consequences immediately. With the establishment of a marine protected area, we hope that the sea will continue to provide benefits not only for us today but also for future generations, including our children and grandchildren.”

Promoting Marine Protected Areas Based on a Blue Economy

The public consultation in the Riau Islands is part of the Koralestari initiative, a YKAN program in collaboration with partners and supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). This initiative targets three priority regions in Indonesia: Berau (East Kalimantan), the Savu Sea (East Nusa Tenggara), and Lingga (Riau Islands).

Koralestari is an initiative addressing the escalating threats to coral reefs from destructive fishing, unsustainable coastal development, pollution, climate change, and invasive species. Yusuf Fajariyanto, YKAN’s Senior Ocean Conservation Manager, explains that Koralestari’s mission is to protect coral reefs by promoting the blue economy. This approach involves supporting sustainable fisheries and marine tourism, which directly benefit local communities.

“Lingga Regency was chosen as a priority location because its waters have high biodiversity and are a key source of livelihood for coastal communities. Through the establishment of marine protected areas, YKAN and partners hope to support better resource management, reduce potential spatial conflicts, and unlock inclusive and sustainable blue sector investment opportunities,” Yusuf said.

YKAN and DKP Riau Islands conducted coral health monitoring in Lingga waters as the basis for zoning preparation. In 2024, manta tow monitoring along 325 km of routes showed an average coral cover of 28 percent, classified as moderate. However, major threats persist, primarily from destructive fishing, land-based sedimentation, and poorly managed tourism.

In April and May 2025, follow-up monitoring using the underwater photo transect method for coral and a visual census for reef fish yielded positive results. The average live hard coral cover increased to 42 percent. The difference in results is clearly due to the varying levels of detail between the more general manta tow method and the more precise coral health assessments.

Participatory mapping surveys unveiled that Lingga waters are home to a diverse array of reef fish, manta rays, sharks, dugongs, whales, dolphins, and turtles. Additionally, the method mapped all the current uses within the area, including community fishing grounds, aquaculture, tourism, and threats such as destructive fishing, mangrove logging, and oil spills.

“These findings are promising. Lingga’s marine ecosystem holds great potential for recovery and preservation. With appropriate protection, coral reefs can thrive, marine life can remain sustainable, and fishers can continue to benefit from a healthy ocean,” Yusuf added.

The Riau Islands Provincial Government has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the management of Marine Protected Areas. With the support of YKAN, the provincial government is actively pursuing the implementation of a Regional Public Service Agency (BLUD) system for the Marine Protected Area Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD).

The BLUD system empowers the UPTD to manage revenue from environmental service fees and other sources independently of the regional budget mechanism. This innovative scheme aims to enhance public services by allowing conservation revenues to be directly utilized for monitoring, zoning enforcement, environmental education, and sustainable tourism development.

Currently, the Riau Islands Provincial Government manages 1.7 million hectares of marine protected areas. Two areas have been officially designated: Bintan East Marine Tourism Park and Bintan II–Tambelan Marine Tourism Park. Three other areas—Lingga, Batam, and Natuna—are still in the reservation stage for future designation.

This public consultation is expected to produce a consensus among government, communities, academics, and conservation partners. The outcome will be documented in meeting minutes and jointly signed zoning maps, serving as the foundation for the official designation of the Lingga and Batam Marine Protected Areas.