GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY IN LEGAL PROTECTION EFFORTS FOR TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN IN ARCHIPELAGIC AREAS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.7318Keywords:
Archipelagic Region, Traditional Fishers, Legal Protection, Government ResponsibilityAbstract
Background: Traditional fishermen in archipelagic states face structural vulnerabilities that intersect directly with state human rights obligations. In archipelagic setups, the ocean is not merely a resource but a living space and cultural identity. Problem: This study examines the multi-layered challenges confronting traditional fishermen in Indonesia's remote islands, characterized by a "triple-problem": disharmonization of center-local maritime authorities, lack of small-island coastal infrastructure, and geographical isolation that impedes legal enforcement against illegal fishing. Method: Utilizing a normative-doctrinal legal research methodology, this paper employs both a statute and a conceptual approach to evaluate the operationalization of the "duty to act" under the welfare state paradigm. Results/ Findings: The analysis reveals that the core philosophical responsibility of the state is severely fragmented by sectoral egoism arising from decentralized legal regimes (e.g., the Regional Government Law), which creates spatial injustice. By comparing these dynamics with Norway’s integrated coastal management zone systems, this paper argues that true state responsibility must transition from an administrative checklist to a substantive-emancipatory legal framework. Conclusion: The study recommends a comprehensive policy reconstruction, including localized legal discretion for archipelagic regional governments and tailored green-infrastructure mandates for small islands.
References
Asshiddiqie, J. (2021). The Theory of State Responsibility in Modern Constitutional Law. Jakarta: Rajawali Press.
Bavinck, M., & Verrips, J. (2020). Manifesting the Commons: Sea Tenure and Legal Pluralism among Artisanal Fishers. Marine Policy, 115, 103822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103822
Bavinck, M., et al. (2021). The Governance of Small-Scale Fisheries in the Anthropocene: Abstracting the Realities of Artisanal Communities. Marine Policy, 129, 104532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104532
Cohen, P. J., et al. (2021). Securing a Just Space for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Blue Economy. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 614283. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.614283
Disemadi, H. S. (2022). Contextualizing the Welfare State Paradigm in Indonesian Small-Scale Fisheries. Sriwijaya Law Review, 6(2), 215-230. https://doi.org/10.28946/slr.v6i2.1824
Fajri, M., & Satria, A. (2023). The Impact of the Omnibus Law on Coastal Spatial Planning and Small-Scale Fisheries Protection in Indonesia. Ocean & Coastal Management, 242, 106712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106712
Hersoug, B. (2023). The Allocation of Fishing Rights in Norway: Democracy vs. Efficiency in Coastal Management. Ocean & Coastal Management, 234, 106471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106471
Jentoft, S. (2020). Life Above Water: Small-Scale Fisheries as a Human Rights Issue. Maritime Studies, 19(4), 395-407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-020-00203-x
Kadir, A., & Ramli, M. (2023). Sectoral Ego and the Juridical Impact of Marine Territory Distribution on Coastal Communal Rights. Lex Generalis Legal Journal, 4(3), 112-127.
Kelsen, H. (2019). Pure Theory of Law. Clark, New Jersey: Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.
Kvamsvåg, S. F., et al. (2022). Local Co-management and Digital Surveillance in Coastal Fisheries: Lessons from the Norwegian Model. Marine Policy, 143, 105192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105192
Muhaimin, M. (2024). Legal Harmonization of Regional Authority in Marine Resource Management in Archipelagic Provinces. International Journal of Law and Management, 66(1), 45-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLMA-05-2023-0102
Nonet, P., & Selznick, P. (2023). Law and Society in Transition: Toward Responsive Law. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Rosales, R. M., et al. (2023). Spatial Justice and the Distribution of Maritime Infrastructures in Island Developing States. Ocean & Coastal Management, 238, 106541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106541
Siry, H. Y., et al. (2021). The Re-Centralization of Coastal Governance in Indonesia: Implications for Local Communities and Marine Sustainability. Marine Policy, 126, 104408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104408
Soja, E. W. (2010). Seeking Spatial Justice. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Wamuthenya, R., et al. (2021). Infrastructure Deficits and the Vulnerability of Small-Scale Fisheries in Remote Archipelagic Contexts. Marine Policy, 132, 104689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104689
Widagdo, S., et al. (2025). The Constitutionalization of the Right to Livelihood for Traditional Maritime Communities in Southeast Asia. Journal of East Asia and International Law, 18(1), 89-108. https://doi.org/10.14330/jeail.2025.18.1.05
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
I (we) submit this article which is original and unpublished, of my (our) own authorship, to the evaluation of the Veredas do Direito Journal, and agree that the related copyrights will become exclusive property of the Journal, being prohibited any partial or total copy in any other part or other printed or online communication vehicle dissociated from the Veredas do Direito Journal, without the necessary and prior authorization that should be requested in writing to Editor in Chief. I (we) also declare that there is no conflict of interest between the articles theme, the author (s) and enterprises, institutions or individuals.
I (we) recognize that the Veredas do Direito Journal is licensed under a CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.
Licença Creative Commons Attribution 3.0


