President Prabowo Affirms Commitment to Dismantle Sea Fences for Environmental Sustainability
Jakarta – The government has affirmed its commitment to ensuring that sea access remains open for the community, especially fishermen, in order to improve welfare and maintain environmental sustainability. One of the concrete steps taken is the dismantling of the sea fence in the waters of Tangerang, Banten, which has hampered fishermen’s activities. This effort is part of the government’s policy in reorganizing the sustainable management of marine resources.
The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (Kasal), Admiral Muhammad Ali, revealed that the process of dismantling the sea fence has reached the final stage, with eight kilometers remaining from the total length of 30.16 kilometers that have been dismantled. Since January 18, 2025, the Indonesian Navy together with related ministries and institutions have been working together to complete this process.
“The dismantling of the sea fence is almost complete. This shows the government’s commitment to providing better access for fishermen,” said Admiral Ali.
Furthermore, he emphasized that this step is a concrete manifestation of the government’s direction so that all ranks, including the TNI, play an active role in helping the community.
“The government always emphasizes that the TNI must be present to help the community in overcoming various challenges. This is one real form of this commitment,” he added.
In this operation, the TNI AL deployed 219 personnel from Pasmar 1, Lantamal III, and Koarmada I, supported by various main weapons systems (alutsista) such as patrol boats, rubber boats, and rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB). In addition, around 40 fishermen participated with eight ships to speed up the dismantling process.
Head of the TNI AL Information Service (Kadispenal), First Admiral I Made Wira Hady explained that the team in the field faced a number of technical challenges, including unfriendly weather conditions and high waves. In addition, the presence of floating cages around the bamboo fence also posed a challenge in the dismantling process.
Meanwhile, Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Firman Soebagyo, assessed the government’s steps as a form of assertiveness in regulating marine assets for the sake of national interests. Firman also encouraged law enforcement officers to ensure that regulations related to the use of water areas are enforced fairly and transparently.
“The TNI has acted in accordance with government directives to reorganize sea access for the community. In the future, it is important for all parties to ensure that the use of marine resources is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations,” said Firman in a discussion in Jakarta.
Through this step, the government hopes to optimize a healthy marine ecosystem and ensure wider access for fishermen in developing their livelihoods. This policy also reflects the government’s commitment to maintaining a balance between economic interests and environmental sustainability. [*]
