Latest TAKING STOCK assessment shines light on Indonesia’s fisheries management transparency

As the second-largest wild-capture fishing nation in the world, Indonesia’s fisheries sector is not only crucial for national food security and employment but also for the cultural and economic life of the country. But how transparent is this sector? And how easy is it for the public to access reliable, up-to-date information?

The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) set out to answer this question in its first-ever TAKING STOCK assessment of Indonesia’s online transparency in marine fisheries management. The findings offer valuable insights and some important lessons.

Why Transparency Matters

Transparency in marine fisheries is essential. It enables informed public debate, effective oversight, and sustainable management of marine resources. Whether it’s knowing how many fish are being caught, who is fishing or how subsidies are allocated, clear and accessible information helps build accountability and public trust.

Indonesia has made commendable strides in online transparency. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) publishes a considerable amount of data. However, the TAKING STOCK assessment shows there is still room improve the consistency, accessibility, and depth of information shared.

What the Assessment Found: Data Is Mostly Available

The assessment examined the accessibility of 39 transparency elements across the 12 thematic areas of the FiTI Standard, of which 32 were applicable to the country’s sector:

• Strong Public Access: 14 elements (44%) were fully available online, up-to-date, and easy to find.
• Moderate Access: 8 elements (25%) were accessible but either outdated or hard to locate.
• Weak Public Access: 2 elements were only partially available and not easily accessible.

Indonesia is doing well in publishing data related to vessel registries, exports/imports, employment statistics, and fisheries laws. One noteworthy example is the Kusuka ID card system, which helps track of employment trends, including gender-disaggregated data.

What’s Missing?

One key finding is the challenge of easily accessing information. While MMAF maintains a statistical dashboard with rich data sets, its recent redesign has made navigation more complex. Users now need to search through multiple webpages or know exactly what document they’re looking for, posing a barrier for the average citizen.

The report also highlights several other critical gaps:

• Fishing Subsidies: Indonesia provides significant support (e.g. fuel discounts), but no public data exists on the value or distribution of these subsidies.
• Scientific Stock Assessments: Information from the National Fish Stock Assessment Commission is limited, making it difficult to assess the scientific basis for management decisions.
• Labour Standards: There is a lack of public reporting on labour rights violations or progress toward implementing international standards like ILO Convention 188.
• Discards and Environmental Impact: The lack of data on what gets thrown back into the sea makes it difficult to understand the ecological cost of fishing.
• Official Development Assistance (ODA): Indonesia receives support from over a dozen donors, but there’s little publicly available information on these projects’ goals or impacts.

Five Key Recommendations

To further improve transparency and accountability, the TAKING STOCK report suggests Indonesian authorities:

• Publish regular data on fishing subsidies;
• Increase visibility of the National Fish Stock Assessment Commission’s work;
• Disclose how fishing quotas are allocated and managed;
• Disaggregate catch data by sector (small- vs. large-scale);
• Raise awareness of labour standards and ongoing efforts toward ILO compliance.

Final Thoughts: Transparency Needs Trust

Transparency is not just about putting data online. It is about making that information accessible, meaningful and trustworthy. Indonesia has shown leadership in many areas, and this assessment provides a roadmap to build on that momentum.

With greater transparency, Indonesia can ensure its marine fisheries continues to provide for its people, support its economy and protect its oceans for generations to come.

The Summary assessment reports, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, are available for download here: