Managing the Teon-Nila-Serua Marine Conservation Area through Collaboration

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Multiple stakeholders are working together to manage a marine conservation area surrounding the islands of Teon, Nila, and Serua (TNS) in Central Maluku Regency, Maluku. The collaboration is considered crucial for preserving marine ecosystems and supporting local communities.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has designated the TNS waters as a conservation area covering 683,826 hectares. The designation is stipulated in the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No. 67/2026, issued on September 2, 2026.

Director General of Marine Spatial Management at KKP, Koswara, said the designation expands protection for marine ecosystems and strengthens conservation governance in Indonesia.

“This conservation area designation bolsters Indonesia’s efforts to protect 30 percent of its marine territory by 2045,” Koswara said in a KKP press release in Jakarta on Monday, September 14, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

KKP Director of Ecosystem Conservation, Firdaus Agung, said the TNS Conservation Area will be managed by local administrations through a Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) dedicated to conservation management. Implementation will involve communities, development partners, and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Head of the Maluku Province Marine Affairs and Fisheries Agency, Erawan Asikin, said the establishment of the conservation area involved multiple stages and institutions.

These stages included biophysical, socioeconomic, and cultural surveys; scientific studies; and public consultations. The process involved KKP, the Maluku Provincial Administration, the Central Maluku Regency Administration, indigenous and coastal communities, academics, and development partners.

Community participation also involved the Latupati Council--traditional rulers, local officials, customary land rights holders, community and religious leaders, youth and women’s groups, fishermen, and coastal communities.

This collaboration is considered vital because the TNS area holds significant ecological value and is closely linked to the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

The TNS Conservation Area contains key ecosystems, including coral reefs and seagrass beds. It also serves as a fish spawning ground and a habitat for hammerhead sharks.

According to Koswara, protecting the TNS area could support the development of sustainable fisheries and marine tourism, generating economic benefits for communities while maintaining ecological functions.

Through multi-stakeholder collaboration and active community involvement, the hope is that the TNS Conservation Area can be effectively managed to safeguard marine biodiversity while providing social and economic benefits to surrounding communities. ***