Field Trip Highlights for Combating Microplastic Pollution in Indonesia’s Fisheries
On July 3, 2025, the “Workshop on Mitigation and Strategic Policy to Combat Microplastic Pollution in Marine and Freshwater Fisheries in the Southeast Asia Region: Advancing the Blue Economy through Strategies for Managing Plastic Pollution in Aquatic Systems” continued with an immersive field trip, offering participants a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the intersections of heritage preservation, integrated monitoring, and the practical challenges of fisheries management.
The first stop was the Marine Heritage Gallery on the second floor of the Mina Bahari IV building, which has been open to the public since 2016 under the direct management of the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. This gallery is the only one in Indonesia devoted exclusively to shipwreck cargoes. Participants learned that the collection spans three distinct eras of maritime trade: artifacts from the ninth century recovered in Bangka-Belitung waters, believed to have journeyed to Middle Eastern and South Asian markets; tenth-century finds off Cirebon, including Chinese ceramics, Middle Eastern jewelry, and other Southeast Asian goods destined for Java; and eleventh- to twelfth-century treasures from Buaya Island, Riau, showcasing ceramics, glassworks, and jewelry that once voyaged to Sumatra.
Subsequently, the group proceeded to the Command Center of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries on the first floor of the Mina Bahari I building, where all maritime data and information are integrated into a single operational hub. This center not only serves as a decision-making tool for the ministry but also interfaces directly with the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency and the Ministry of Defence, thereby reinforcing national maritime security. The system is equipped with three core features: a monitoring module that tracks fishing vessel movements across Indonesian waters; a dashboard presenting key indicators of the country’s marine and fisheries sectors; and an alert function that detects suspected violations and issues rapid warnings to the Command Center.
Afterward, participants traveled to the Nizam Zachman Landing Port at Muara Baru in North Jakarta, a Marine Fisheries Landing Port operating under the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries. Here, they observed that operational waste from fishing vessels remains a significant problem, especially plastic debris. Consequently, the port is piloting a strategy of meticulous monitoring—first recording the volume of plastic packaging taken offshore and then reassessing quantities upon return—while also providing a recyclable-waste deposit system that converts collected trash into financial incentives for fishers.
This field trip formed a vital component of the Regional Collaborative Research and Capacity Building for Monitoring and Reduction of Marine Debris from Fisheries in Southeast Asia project, coordinated by the SEAFDEC Secretariat and IFRDMD and supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). As a result, participants departed with a deeper appreciation of both Indonesia’s rich maritime heritage and the practical tools needed to advance microplastic mitigation across the region.