MDPI Reaffirms Commitment for Blue Economy as an Active Ministry’s Development Partner
- October 6, 2025
by Muhammad Alzaki Tristi
MDPI reaffirms our commitment to supporting the Ministry of Marine Affair and Fisheries’ (MMAF) “Blue Economy” priority programs in a meeting with the Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono. This acted as a strategy aimed at balancing economic growth with ecological sustainability, reinstated in a crucial policy conversation that took place in Bali (10/6).
MDPI conversed with the Minister on how we’re actively translating the Blue Economy framework into tangible programs at the local level.
“We fully support the Blue Economy policy initiated by the MMAF. Since the beginning, we have been working on the ground to make it real—through assistance to small-scale fishers in eight provinces,” said MDPI Director Yasmine Simbolon.
Over the years, MDPI has developed a robust scientific data collection system covering over 10,000 fishers, providing essential information that underpins Indonesia’s Harvest Strategy framework. It serves valuable for scientific reports to international bodies like the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Moreover, the practices contribute directly to acquiring and maintaining eco-label certifications and international market access.
The work also extends beyond the boats. Simbolon continued with emphasizing MDPI’s work on community-based waste management and women-led livelihood initiatives. She saw these as a vital step toward establishing a zero waste fisheries and circular economy model at the community level.
However, challenges persist. Simbolon pivoted to three key challenges faced by the coastal communities and small-scale fishers: Limited access to subsidized fuel; Shrinking fishing ground due to high competition between traditional and industrial fishers; Unregulated fish aggregating devices (FADs), and; Depressed fish price at local market level, reaching as low as USD 1.8 per kilogram.
She offered MDPI’s commitment to work directly with the MMAF, along with the Indonesia’s Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) to address issues above.
Read also: MDPI Hosts ‘SELAT MUDA’ Training in Bali to Strengthen Youth Roles in Climate Change
In a move to align with a government initiative, Simbolon also pledged synergy with Indonesian Government’s Kampung Merah Putih program—a national-scale village development project that overlaps with MDPI’s current work sites in Bali, Maluku, and North Maluku. “MDPI believes that leveraging community engagement, data, and partnership networks would strengthen the Blue Economy’s implementation, ensuring its benefits are truly felt by coastal communities,” she explained.
In his closing remarks, Minister Trenggono acknowledged the “concrete contributions and constructive views” from MDPI. He affirmed that the principle of balance—between ecology and economy—is the foundation of the Ministry’s five priority programs.
“This is how we balance ecology and economy through the MMAF’s five priority programs. I hope these NGOs can work together to realize our Blue Economy framework,” Minister Trenggono said.
Ministry found strong parallels between MDPI’s field operations and the five programs. These include the expansion of marine conservation areas, measured fishing quotas, sustainable aquaculture, coastal surveillance, and marine plastic cleanup.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a Collaboration Commitment Document by the MMAF’s Development Partners to support the Blue Economy. Among stakeholders are Indonesia Tuna Consortium, Marine Stewardship Council, MDPI, Yayasan WWF Indonesia, and Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN).
Partners were later bound to promote quota-based measured fishing, enhance fisher capacity, develop eco-friendly technology, and support the Kampung Merah Putih program. Through this high-profile commitment, MDPI reasserted its strategic role as a necessary partner to the Indonesian government, one vital to ensuring that the vision of an inclusive, transparent, and science-based Blue Economy translates from official policy into a better reality for the coastal villages across Indonesia.
