Strengthening Turtle Conservation Regulations in Maluku: Collaboration Between CFI Indonesia and Local Government 

The Provincial Government of Maluku successfully issued a regulation for turtle conservation through Governor Regulation (Pergub) No. 43 of 2024 on the Regional Action Plan (RAD) for Turtle Conservation. Additionally, Governor Decree No. 1957 of 2024 established the reservation of 1,031,665.13 hectares of regional marine conservation areas. This achievement was supported by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) through CFI Indonesia, in collaboration with the Maluku Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (DKP), which facilitated research, drafting, and harmonization processes with multiple stakeholders. 

Before the regulation was enacted, CFI Indonesia supported Maluku DKP in harmonizing the draft with the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta at the end of the previous year, ensuring alignment with the national legal framework. 

Governor Regulation No. 43/2024 serves as a guideline for formulating conservation actions and directing stakeholder priorities for turtle conservation efforts in Maluku, aiming to increase turtle populations and maintain marine ecosystem balance. 

For CFI Indonesia, the issuance of this regulation represents a key milestone under the Prodoc Amendment Policy Project, while also strengthening biodiversity management, especially for the leatherback turtle in Maluku. 

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has designated all turtle species, including the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), as priority species among 20 key non-fish species. These turtles are fully protected under Government Regulation No. 7 of 1999. Internationally, the species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to declining populations. 

Protecting Leatherback Turtles Through Community Engagement and Cultural Sensitivity 

Locally known as Tabob in the Kei Islands and Teteruga Salawaku in Buru, the leatherback turtle is the world’s largest sea turtle. It is easily recognized by the ridges on its back shell, which resemble the shape of a starfruit. 

Leatherback turtles face serious threats that have led to population decline, with poaching for meat being one of the primary issues. Although this practice is illegal in most parts of Indonesia, some communities in Papua and Maluku continue turtle hunting for consumption as part of traditional practices passed down through generations. This cultural reality has encouraged conservation groups and government agencies, including GEF 6 CFI Indonesia, to take persuasive, community-based approaches through outreach and education. 

These efforts aim to build awareness that natural resources such as turtles are finite and must be used sustainably to prevent extinction. Rather than banning traditional rituals outright, conservation regulations may limit the number of turtles harvested for ceremonial purposes. In Southeast Maluku, the local government has even partnered with churches to promote the protection of leatherback turtles. 

Leatherback turtles migrate through Southeast Maluku’s waters in search of jellyfish, their primary food source, and lay eggs on Buru Island. Known as ocean wanderers, these turtles can spend two to three years migrating across the seas. 

To support conservation, KKP and CFI Indonesia have collected population data, carried out awareness campaigns, and, in collaboration with IPB University’s Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK) and Maluku’s DKP, facilitated the reservation of a conservation area in South Buru. The area, based on data collected last year, is a crucial nesting site for leatherback turtles and must be protected. 

In 2025, KKP and CFI Indonesia plan to accelerate the formal designation of conservation areas in South Buru, where leatherback turtles migrate. This effort is strongly supported by the Maluku Provincial Government through Governor Decree No. 1957/2024, which designates a total of 1,031,665.13 hectares of marine conservation areas, including: 

• Buru Waters (Buru Regency): 57,594.12 ha 
• Southern Buru Waters (South Buru Regency): 87,570.95 ha 
• Eastern Seram Waters (East Seram Regency): 199,500.06 ha 
• Teon Nila Serua Waters (Central Maluku Regency): 687,000 ha 

With the enactment of Governor Regulation No. 43 of 2024 and Governor Decree No. 1957 of 2024, it is hoped that the protection and sustainable management of leatherback turtles, particularly in nesting areas around the Buru Waters, will be significantly strengthened. 

For more information, please contact Lisa M. Lautetu at lisamlautetu@gmail.com.

About the project

CFI Indonesia, through the GEF-6 grant titled "The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia (Fisheries Management Area - FMA 715, 717, & 718) Components A, B, and D", is a collaboration between Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) as the implementing agency and the WWF GEF Agency as the managing institution. This initiative, which began on December 23, 2019, and is scheduled for completion on December 31, 2026, aims to strengthen sustainable coastal fisheries management in the FMA 715, 717, and 718 regions. 

As part of its biodiversity conservation mandate under this project, CFI Indonesia has been actively supporting the protection of endangered marine species—particularly the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)—through policy facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and scientific collaboration. In partnership with the Maluku Provincial Government and the Maluku Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (DKP), CFI Indonesia played a pivotal role in facilitating the issuance of Governor Regulation No. 43 of 2024 on the Regional Action Plan (RAD) for Turtle Conservation, and Governor Decree No. 1957 of 2024 on the reservation of more than 1 million hectares of marine conservation areas. 

These efforts align with the project's broader goals of enhancing ecosystem-based fisheries management while integrating local wisdom, cultural practices, and community engagement. By combining science-based conservation strategies with inclusive policy development, CFI Indonesia continues to promote the long-term preservation of critical marine habitats and the species that depend on them, especially in key biodiversity hotspots such as Buru Island and the surrounding waters in Fisheries Management Area 718.