In November 2025, the Research Station for Tuna Fisheries (RSTF) in Denpasar, Bali, conducted two training sessions for 30 Bali Extension Officers, who are the frontliners of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and work closely with coastal communities to enhance awareness and build capacity. The first training focused on Plastic Waste Management in the Sea through Fishermen’s Participation Movement and the second on Expanding Marine Conservation Areas, both of which align with Indonesia’s Blue Economy Policy. On both occasions, the ATSEA Interim Regional Secretariat (IRS) was invited to share its work and experiences, represented by Casandra Tania, ATSEA Program Specialist.

RSTF, which initially focused on tuna fisheries research, has recently expanded its role to host more training and capacity-building activities for fisheries and coastal management. This shift has allowed facilities like RSTF to support practical learning for extension officers who work directly with coastal communities.

In the first training on 11 November 2025, Tania presented on the Introduction and Management of Abandoned, Lost, or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG), also known as ghost nets. Despite being a significant part of the waste entering the ocean annually (approximately 10%), ghost nets remain largely unnoticed. MMAF has introduced several regulations to tackle this issue, such as Ministerial Regulation 26/2021, which prohibits the disposal of fishing and auxiliary gear into the sea, mandates the recycling of damaged fishing gear at fishing ports, and requires reports of lost gear to fishing port authority.

Moreover, Ministerial Decree 130/2023 laid the foundation for a circular letter on plastic waste management, which includes implementation measures like socialising waste management on board and raising awareness among coastal communities on managing ghost gear and end-of-life fishing gear.

In line with the 3Rs Program (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) promoted by MMAF, several training participants were keen to learn about the economic value of managing ghost gear. Through collaboration with the private sector on recycling and upcycling processes, coastal communities could benefit financially by collecting and managing old fishing gear. This incentive could help secure future participation in ALDFG programs in Bali.

In the second training on 26 November 2025, Tania shared ATSEA’s experience in developing a regional Marine Protected Area (MPA) network for the Arafura and Timor Seas region. She discussed ATSEA’s 10-year ambition to protect 20–30% of critical habitats and ecosystems in the ATS region through area-based protection. This includes establishing 70,000 km² of new MPAs and 10,000 km² of new Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM), while also increasing the management effectiveness of at least 25% of MPAs in the ATS region. Tania also highlighted how this effort supports global initiatives such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 30×30 target, as well as Indonesia’s own 30×45 target.

ATSEA’s participation in the training reflects ongoing collaboration with RSTF and support for strengthening the knowledge and capacity of fisheries extension officers. As RSTF continues its transformation into a regional training hub, opportunities for future collaboration and joint training activities are expected to grow.

By Casandra Tania