Riau Islands Provincial Government Ready to Implement Sustainable Funding Scheme for Management Marine Protected Areas

The Riau Islands Provincial Government is committed to supporting the effective management of marine protected areas by implementing the Regional Public Service Agency Financial Management Pattern (PPK-BLUD). The application of PPK-BLUD will be implemented by the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) of the Riau Islands Province Aquatic Conservation Area Management. This commitment was conveyed by the Deputy Governor of Riau Islands Nyanyang Haris Pratamura during a working visit to Mapur Island, Bintan Regency, on May 7, 2025.

Following up on this, on May 8, 2025, the Riau Islands Province Maritime and Fisheries Service (DKP) together with the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN) through the Koralestari Program, involving local partners of Riau Islands Province, the Riau Islands Ecology Foundation held a meeting to discuss the finalization of the documents required for the administration of PPK-BLUD implementation.

This stage must be carried out, as per the Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 79 of 2018, to complete the proposal for BLUD application in Conservation Area Management. This document will be submitted to the Governor of Riau Islands Province, which will initiate the BLUD application assessment process and provide technical guidance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Given the high potential of marine resources in Riau Islands Province, its management must be sustainable. Supporting this, currently,= a Marine Protected Area Management UPTD has been formed in Riau Islands Province which is implementing PPK-BLUD,” explained Riau Islands DKP Secretary La Ode M. Faisal.

Riau Islands Province with a marine area of approximately 24 million hectares and a coastline of 2,368 kilometers is an archipelago province with high marine resources. The potential fisheries production in this province reaches around 1.7 million tons per year. In 2022, there was a total capture fisheries production of 322,107 tons per year and mariculture production of 27,436.03 tons per year which was utilized by around 143,354 fishermen. In addition, with unique marine biodiversity, this area is also a favorite destination for domestic and foreign tourists for marine tourism.

The Marine Protected Areas in Riau Islands Province managed by the region is 1,716,538.25 hectares. Two Conservation Areas have been established, namely the Bintan Island East Marine Tourism Park Conservation Area and the Conservation Area in the Waters in the Bintan II-Tambelan Region. In addition, efforts are currently being made to improve the status of three areas, namely: Lingga waters, Batam waters, and Natuna waters. 

We are grateful to YKAN for its dedication to implementing PPK BLUD in the management of Marine Protected Areas in Riau Islands Province. We will expedite the implementation of PPK BLUD as directed by the Deputy Governor, aiming for completion by 2025. Sustainable management ensures the preservation of marine resources, ensuring benefits for future generations," stated Said Sudrajad, the Head of DKP Riau Islands Province.

He emphasized that relying on unstable or limited funding sources could hinder efforts to safeguard and restore ecosystems. By implementing PPK-BLUD, UPTD Marine Protected Areas in Riau Islands Province will gain the flexibility to manage revenue directly from environmental service tariffs and other sources for conservation area operations, bypassing the APBD budgeting mechanism. This innovative approach is one of the government’s initiatives aimed at enhancing services for the broader community.

In its implementation, the budgeting for conservation area management will be used, among others, to control the utilization of regional zoning, supervision activities, awareness, environmental education, and encourage sustainable tourism activities in the context of ecological preservation and increasing the economic benefits of conservation areas for the community. 

“With professional management and supported by a sustainable funding scheme, Marine Protected Areas in Riau Islands Province will provide many benefits, both ecologically, socially, and economically. Related to this, we also support and assist the establishment of UPTD Marine Protected Areas in Riau Islands Province through the USAID Collective program. Furthermore, through the Koralestari program supported by funding from the Global Fund for Coral Reef, we support the next stage, namely the implementation of BLUD. This system is one of the models for developing an effective and sustainable conservation area management institution,” concluded YKAN Marine Program Director Muhammad Ilman.

About Koralestari

Koralestari aims to help address the lack of funding related to coral reef conservation and restoration through innovative funding schemes and investments into reef-friendly businesses. These innovative funding solutions include blue carbon, coral reef insurance, self-funding of marine protected areas through BLUD, sustainable commodity development, and the establishment of community-based business funding facilities. The program runs from 2024 to 2029 with locations in the Sawu Sea, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province, and Lingga Regency, Riau Islands Province.