CFI Indonesia, together with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Offices (DKP), continues to encourage and strengthen the role of Community Supervisory Groups (Pokmaswas) in overseeing marine and fisheries resources in Indonesia. As part of these efforts, the Directorate General of Supervision of Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP) held a Workshop on Pokmaswas Strategies and Actions to support monitoring of non-eco-friendly fishing gears in Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 715.

The event was held on August 12–14, 2025, at The Hotel Sentral Manado, organized in collaboration with the Directorate General of PSDKP and the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries (DJPT), with funding support from GEF 6 CFI Indonesia.  

The Senior Advisor to the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for the Protection of Fishing Vessel Crews and Fishers, Muh Abdi Suhufan, attended the Workshop on Pokmaswas Strategies and Actions in supporting the monitoring of non-eco-friendly fishing gear in Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 715 in Manado (August 12–14, 2025)

The workshop was opened by Muh Abdi Suhufan, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for the Protection of Fishing Vessel Crews and Fishers. In his remarks, Abdi emphasized the strategic role of fishers and communities in identifying destructive fishing practices. Therefore, their capacity must be enhanced in case mapping, operational support, and access to alternative financing at the field level.

The Directorate General of Supervision of Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP), Dr. Pung Nugroho Saksono, A.Pi, MM, in his address, underlined the vital role of Pokmaswas as a key instrument in surveillance. Their strategic position as fishermen who are always in the fishing grounds makes them the first to provide crucial initial information.

The Workshop on Workshop on Pokmaswas Strategies and Actions to support the monitoring of non-eco-friendly fishing gear in Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 715, Manado, was facilitated through grant funding from GEF 6 CFI Indonesia (August 12–14, 2025)

Concrete results of strengthening Pokmaswas have been evident in several cases, such as in Natuna and Bitung, including the apprehension of foreign fishing vessels, which were more effectively handled thanks to Pokmaswas information.

Moving forward, the Director General of PSDKP directed that Pokmaswas be further strengthened to deliver greater impact, considering the limited budget, the small number of surveillance personnel, and the vast coverage areas.

Seizing this momentum, the Directorate of Surveillance Infrastructure and Facilities (PSP) of PSDKP-DG, together with stakeholders, once again organized the Workshop on Pokmaswas Strategies and Actions to support monitoring of non-eco-friendly fishing gears in Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 715.

Welcome remarks were delivered by the Head of North Sulawesi Provincial Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office, the Director of PSP PSDKP-DG, and the Director of SDI DJPT.

In his report, the Director of PSP PSDKP-DG, Dr. Ardiansyah, explained that the workshop aimed to formulate strategies and concrete actions for Pokmaswas to monitor the use of destructive fishing gears in FMA 715.

Meanwhile, the Director of SDI DJPT, Dr. Syahrir Abdul Rauf, presented the quota-based fishing policy, sustainable fisheries resource management, and the threats posed by non-eco-friendly fishing gears.

The workshop was supported by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), featuring facilitators from Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia and the Pokmaswas Development Working Group of PSDKP, who guided participants in developing participatory monitoring steps at the field level.

It is expected that the outcomes of this workshop will further strengthen Pokmaswas as the front line in preventing destructive fishing practices and monitoring Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing activities in the field.

The event was attended by 50 participants representing stakeholders, including the Provincial and District/City Offices of North Sulawesi, Pokmaswas, academics, Fisheries Extension Officers, Bitung PSDKP Base, as well as Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office representatives from the several provinces (North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku, North Maluku, and Central Sulawesi) and regencies/cities (Banggai Islands and Pohuwatu).