February 5, 2025
JAKARTA – The Indonesian Ombudsman’s Banten office estimates that fishermen suffered at least Rp 24 billion (US$1.4 million) in income losses after their access to the sea was hindered by a bamboo fence installed illegally off the coast of Tangerang regency.
That is largely because the sea barrier that spans 30 kilometers in the waters of six districts in Tangerang forced some 4,000 fisherfolks living in the area to buy extra fuel to sail their boats longer distances, effectively decreasing their catch.
“Not to mention that the sea barrier has also damaged the boats of these fishermen,” Ombudsman Banten office head Fadli Afriadi told a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.
The estimated losses were calculated from August of last year to January of this year, before the Navy launched an operation to remove the unlicensed barrier on Jan. 18.
The Ombudsman also found indications of crimes in the installation of the sea fence and falsification of permits for land plots on the shoreline facing the sea fence.
“There are strong indications that the sea fence was installed as an attempt to control the waters around it,” Fadli said.
“We therefore urge law enforcement agencies to investigate potential crimes in the illegal installation of the bamboo sea fence.”
Read also: KPK to probe Tangerang sea fence separately from AGO
The Ombudsman also found indications of maladministration by the Banten Maritime and Fisheries Agency in its management of marine resources in the area.
The Navy has been leading a joint operation involving the Water and Air Police and other institutions to dismantle the bamboo fence since Jan. 18 on an order from President Prabowo Subianto.
The operation had taken down 18.7 km of the fence in various segments across Tangerang by Jan. 28, but bad weather and high waves forced the Navy to call off the operation to remove the remaining 11.4 km of the structure the following day.
The operation will resume once the weather permits, Navy spokesperson Cdre. I Made Wira Hady told Kompas on Tuesday.