cfi-indonesia.id.  The Provincial Government of Maluku successfully issued a regulation on turtle conservation management through Governor Regulation Number 43 of 2024 on the Regional Action Plan (RAD) for Turtle Conservation, which was issued on December 20th of last year. This success is closely linked to the role of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), through CFI Indonesia, which, together with the Maluku Marine and Fisheries Office (DKP), facilitated the process of drafting and harmonizing with various stakeholders.

Before the issuance of this legal product, CFI Indonesia facilitated the Maluku Provincial DKP in organizing a harmonization activity with the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 24th, 2024, in Jakarta. The purpose of this activity was to align the Governor's regulation on turtle conservation with the national legal framework.

This facilitation itself was crucial in clarifying the urgency of the Turtle Conservation RAD and ensuring a shared understanding among all related parties. In that meeting, several significant outcomes were achieved, including changes in the regulatory considerations, leading to the removal of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree (Kepmen KP) No. 65 of 2022. This decree was replaced by Government Regulation Number 60 of 2007 on Fishery Resource Conservation. This step was taken because the existing National Action Plan is only valid until 2024, with no clear successor in place.

Governor Regulation of Maluku Number 43 of 2024 regarding the Regional Action Plan (RAD) for Turtle Conservation functions as a guideline in formulating steps and providing directions to relevant stakeholders in determining priority activities for turtle conservation in Maluku. This is one of the efforts to improve turtle populations and maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.

For CFI Indonesia, the issuance of this regulation is one of the achievements entrusted in the project’s policy amendment document. It also strengthens the management of biodiversity indicators project, particularly for the leatherback turtle, which will be further improved in Maluku.

In 2025, KKP, through CFI Indonesia, plans to expedite the establishment of conservation areas in the southern part of Buru Island, a migration site for the leatherback turtle. Last year, CFI Indonesia facilitated surveys and studies on ecology, economics, and socio-cultural aspects in the area. In collaboration with the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK) of IPB University and DKP of Maluku Province, CFI gathered supporting information for the formation of a conservation area in the southern waters of Buru. Hopefully, with the issuance of Maluku Governor’s Regulation Number 43 of 2024 regarding the RAD for Turtle Conservation and the plan to establish the conservation area, the leatherback turtle can be protected from the threat of extinction, and the waters of Buru and its surroundings can be well-managed as a nesting site.