Illegal Fishing War: An Environmental Policy during the Jokowi Era?

Indonesia’s environmental issues are immense. Scholars have argued that it is time for the country to start seriously dealing with this challenge. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono clearly showed the world that he was willing to tackle the problem by making climate change policy a top national priority. However, it remains to be seen whether President Joko Widodo is also willing to do so, even though his controversial illegal fishing war has attracted considerable domestic and international media attention. This paper argues that, in general, the current administration has not significantly helped manage Indonesia’s environment in a better way. Specifically, the role of the war on reducing the extent of illegal fishing in Indonesia is difficult to determine. The findings of this article suggest that the impact on the national formal fishery sector has been relatively small. The impact might be significant at a local level, but only in a few areas in Eastern Indonesia, which could negatively affect large fishing companies but benefit small fishers.