Dr. Ageng Herianto from FAO (middle) and Dr. Ridwan Mulyana from MMAF (second from left) with fisheries experts from Indonesia and Timor-Leste at the regional TDA meeting in Bali.

BALI, Indonesia 25 May 2023: Indonesia and Timor-Leste authorities and fisheries experts meet to finalize the Indonesian Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (ISLME) Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and support for the formulation of the Strategic Action Program (SAP) in an intensive 3-day regional meeting in Bali 25-27 May 2023.

The TDA is a scientific, technical process to identify the transboundary threats to ISLME sustainability. The TDA findings will be used to formulate the SAP, which will highlight concrete priority policies and interventions to address the threats.

The meeting participants include the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) of the Republic of Indonesia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) of the Republic of Timor-Leste, members of the National Scientific Advisory Group (NSAG) from both countries and experts from Timor-Leste and the Padjajaran University (UNPAD) as the technical consultant.

The Bali meeting is part of a series of discussions and stakeholder consultations which was initiated in 2020. The first working draft of the TDA was developed by Prof. Karen Edyvane from the Charles Darwin University as technical consultant and now the process is conducted under the guidance of Dr. Rudolf Hermes, a retired FAO senior fisheries expert and former Bay of Bengal LME (BOBLME) Chief Technical Advisor.

Mr. Thomas de Sousa from MAF welcomed the renewed commitment of the bilateral stakeholders, the FAO to complete the ISLME TDA and SAP documents. Timor-Leste appreciates the cooperation with Indonesia on bilateral fisheries measures and exposures to fisheries and aquaculture-related interventions in Indonesia.

“We are confident we will come up with very useful TDA and SAP to guide efforts to protect the sustainability of the ISLME region. ISLME will learn from the last LME project, BOBLME, to ensure the SAP priorities are well defined,” said Dr. Ageng Herianto, Assistant FAO Representative in his opening remarks. He also voiced his hope that the finalized SAP will be implemented by both countries using national budget and other funding resources as well.

Dr. Ridwan Mulyana, MMAF Director of Fish Resources Management expressed Indonesia commitment to the TDA-SAP process, stressing that the overall goal of SAP development based on the TDA findings is crucial to reduce pressure on marine ecosystem in the region. He explained that there are some meaningful progresses achieved so far, including managing to review and update the draft TDA with the latest data and policies. The expert feedbacks gathered from the meeting will be used to fine tune the draft TDA and sharpen the SAP with clear goals and objectives to address the transboundary issues. The SAP will be submitted for high level endorsement.

Mr. Chavakat Manghat Muralidharan, ISLME Regional Coordinator said for the SAP formulation, a participatory approach is adopted to facilitate the expert participants to develop a long-term vision, set ecosystem-based fisheries goals and objectives based on the five identified Priority Environmental Concerns (PECs). The five PECs are (i) unsustainable fishing and aquaculture practices, (ii) degradation and loss of marine habitat, (iii) marine and land-based pollution, (iv) decline of biodiversity and key species and (v) impacts of climate change.

On the second day, the meeting proceeded with the initiation of SAP formulation, specifically the Strategic Thinking step, where the participants shared their ideas to set the vision, goals and objectives for the ISLME region. Dr. Fery Sutiyawan, MMAF technical coordinator told the plenary forum that the SAP will be useful to guide policy and action for the sustainability of the ISLME region. “We look forward to it as it will also be in line with and contribute to the implementation of the on-going MMAF policies such as quota-based fisheries,” he explained.