What are MPAs?
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are clearly defined ocean regions set aside to safeguard marine life and habitats. They help conserve biodiversity, sustain fisheries, and protect cultural values. Some MPAs allow multiple uses managed for sustainability; others include “no-take” zones where extractive activities are prohibited. When well enforced, no-take zones tend to deliver the strongest ecological gains. Countries around the world have committed to conserve at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (“30×30”), a goal that emphasizes both expanding coverage and improving management quality.
In Indonesia, MPAs include designations such as marine parks, marine reserves, and marine nature parks. They are managed through zoning that balances conservation and use—typically fully protected core areas, buffer zones with limited activities, and sustainable-use zones. Customary adat practices are often integrated into zoning. Oversight involves the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and provincial governments, with management carried out in collaboration with local communities, NGOs, and the private sector.
Establishing an MPA in Indonesia begins with planning and consultations with local communities and other stakeholders to agree on boundaries and management needs. Legal designation is made by decree, and an area becomes fully established when a ministerial decree from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries makes the zoning plan legally enforceable. Each site is guided by a binding management and zoning plan, with ongoing efforts to strengthen governance, improve effectiveness, and combine traditional knowledge with modern science.