Efforts to address Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) in Indonesia continue to gain momentum, as national stakeholders come together to strengthen coordination, policy, and practical solutions on the ground.

On 20 January 2026, the ATSEA Interim Executive Director, Handoko Adi Susanto, participated in a national Focus Group Discussion in Jakarta, contributing to ongoing discussions supporting Indonesia’s National Action Plan on Marine Debris Reduction.

The meeting was organised by the Directorate of Fishing Vessels and Fishing Gear under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, in collaboration with the OceanEarth Foundation and supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD). It brought together around 40 participants from government agencies, academia, private sector, and civil society, reflecting a shared recognition that ALDFG is a growing challenge that requires collective action.

ALDFG remains one of the fastest-growing sources of marine pollution in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, more than 90 percent of small-scale fishers report losing fishing gear each year, driven by factors such as gear conflicts, rough sea conditions, limited disposal systems, and low economic value of used gear. The impacts are felt across both ecosystems and communities. Lost gear continues to trap marine life, including threatened species, while also reducing fish stocks and creating safety risks for vessels. At the same time, fishers face economic losses when gear is lost and not recovered.

What emerged clearly from the discussion is that no single solution can address the issue. Addressing ALDFG requires a combination of approaches, from improving onshore collection and recycling systems to strengthening regulations and encouraging behaviour change through awareness and incentives. At the same time, these efforts need to be better connected.

Building on its regional work on ALDFG, ATSEA highlighted the need for stronger national coordination to bridge ongoing initiatives. With multiple programs already underway across Indonesia, ensuring that information, lessons learned, and progress are shared across stakeholders remains a key gap.

To support this, ATSEA proposed the establishment of a national coordination forum on ALDFG, led by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as a platform for regular dialogue, knowledge exchange, and alignment of efforts. Beyond coordination, such a forum could also help strengthen public awareness of ALDFG as an important issue, while linking national actions with broader regional priorities in the Arafura and Timor Seas.

The proposal was positively received, with participants expressing support for the creation of a national forum and the organisation of regular meetings. As an initial step, stakeholders agreed to maintain communication through a WhatsApp group to share updates and strengthen coordination moving forward.

Alongside these discussions, several initiatives are already advancing practical solutions. Through ongoing technical assistance supported by AFD, pilot activities are being implemented in key fishing ports, including Pengambengan in Bali, Cilacap in Central Java, and Bitung in North Sulawesi. These pilots focus on capacity building, infrastructure support, and monitoring systems to better manage fishing gear throughout its lifecycle. Indonesia’s government continues to complement these efforts through policy development, gear recycling, buy-back schemes, and community awareness programmes, supported by partners including UNEP COBSEA and ATSEA.

As discussions continue to connect policy, practice, and on-the-ground conditions, the meeting reinforced a key message: addressing ghost gear requires not only technical solutions, but also strong collaboration across sectors and levels.

By Yulia Dewi