Decentralization of fisheries management in Indonesia

Decentralization is highly considered as an alternative to make better fisheries management. This is due to that decentralization appears as a means for increasing the efficiency and equity of development activities and services delivery, and also for promoting local participation and democracy. The evolution of decentralization of fisheries management policy in Indonesia showed that the decentralization was gradually developed from deconcentration and delegation to devolution form. After Reform Era, devolution form of decentralization has been implemented due to the enactment of UU 22/1999 (the Local Autonomy Law), where local government has gained the amount of new authorities concerning marine-fisheries management. By such devolution, however, the community based management system, which is rooted from traditional fishing communities, is recognized. The effectiveness of the community based management system for the marine resources sustainability is caused by the bottom up planning and participative approach that led to the increasing of the local fishers' sense of stewardship over the resources. Even though this kind of decentralization practice has been dealing with several problems, this is still a better way rather than centralization. This paper identifies some agendas are being encountered both in the central and the local level. This is related to the need of improvement of the legal framework, the capacity building of the local government, and the revitalization of the local institution. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.