Ombudsman Urges KKP To Immediately Unload Illegal Sea Fences In Tangerang That Harm Fishermen

TANGERANG The Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia urged the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to immediately dismantle the 30.16 km illegal sea fence installed on the coast of Tangerang Regency, Banten. The installation of the fence is considered detrimental to thousands of local fishermen and interferes with their access to make a living.

This pressure was conveyed by a member of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Yeka Hendra Fatika, after conducting a surprise inspection (sidak) at a sea fencing location in Kronjo District, Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Wednesday, January 15.

During the inspection, the Ombudsman also invited various related parties, including the KKP, the Ministry of ATR/BPN, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, and the Banten Provincial Government to provide direct information.

"From the information from the KKP, it is clear that this refreshment is without a permit. Therefore, we urge the KKP to immediately dismantle the fence, because it has harmed fishermen," said Yeka.

The Indonesian Ombudsman criticized the issue of public services, especially regarding the access of disrupted fishermen to make a living at sea. Yeka estimates that the losses suffered by fishermen in the last five months could reach around Rp. 9 billion.

The Ombudsman will also continue to monitor follow-up from the KKP regarding the acceleration of the demolition of illegal marine fences in the Banten area.

"This marine hashtag has been around since August 2024, and it shouldn't take 20 days to dismantle. However, resource preparation is needed for the implementation of the demolition," he added.

Yeka revealed that the Ombudsman Representative of Banten Province, led by Fadli Afriadi, is currently investigating his own initiatives regarding this issue. It is possible that the Ombudsman will also summon related parties to complete the results of the investigation.

Regarding the claim that the sea fencing is part of the National Strategic Project (PSN), Yeka emphasized that based on information from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, this is not true.

The Ombudsman has also asked for clarification from the Ministry of Environment, which states that there is no Analysis of Environmental Impact (Amdal) regarding the use of the sea space.

In addition, the Ministry of ATR/BPN also said that the location of the sea fencing does not have any rights documents, so its status is still under state control.

"If this is illegal, of course there is a criminal potential. Therefore, the role of law enforcement officers is very necessary. However, the Ombudsman is more concerned with disturbed public service problems," Yeka said.

He hopes that in the next 1-2 weeks, the problem of the sea fence in Banten can be resolved so that fishermen can return to their activities as before.

The Head of the Indonesian Ombudsman Representative for Banten Province, Fadli Afriadi, also reminded again about the impact of the losses caused by the construction of the sea fence, especially for fishermen, farmers, and local communities who depend on the sea coast.

"Strict and measurable actions from the relevant ministries and agencies are urgently needed to immediately resolve the issue of this illegal marine fence. In addition to preventing greater losses for the community, this action is also important to restore public trust that the state is here to protect and serve its citizens," said Fadli.