RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is developing the country's first community-based Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) pilot project at Mertasari Beach in Sanur, Bali. It is as part of efforts to strengthen public participation in sustainable marine spatial planning.

As quoted from an official statement by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) on Monday, July 27, 2026, the pilot project is being developed in the Mertasari Beach area, which serves multiple strategic functions, including tourism, fisheries, port activities, blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrass beds and coral reefs, as well as an alternative seaplane landing site.

Director of Water Column and Seabed Spatial Utilization at the ministry, Didit Eko Prasetiyo, said marine spatial planning should be implemented at the community level to balance economic development, ecological conservation, and public welfare.

"Marine spatial planning must be brought closer to communities and implemented at the local level. This will enable us to integrate economic and ecological interests while ensuring that local communities also benefit," Didit said.

As part of the project's preparation, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has gathered input through a series of focus group discussions involving representatives from the central and regional governments, academics, indigenous communities, local business operators, and the media.

Professor Akhmad Fauzi of IPB University, who led the discussions, said participants expect the community-based marine spatial planning initiative to help preserve marine ecosystems, improve local livelihoods, and minimize conflicts over the use of marine space.

Community-based MSP has already been implemented in several countries, including Japan, Canada, South Korea, and a number of Pacific nations. The ministry aims to launch the pilot project in October 2026, with the expectation that it will serve as a model for community-based marine spatial planning in other parts of Indonesia.