Legal Empowerment of Coastal Communities in Banyuwangi: A Case Study on Traditional Fishing Rights and Marine Conservation Policies

Abstract

Introduction:
Coastal communities in Indonesia often face structural legal disadvantages, particularly in asserting their traditional fishing rights amid expanding marine conservation policies. In Banyuwangi, East Java, traditional fishers have experienced restricted access to ancestral fishing grounds due to overlapping regulatory frameworks and conservation measures.

Purpose:
This study aims to analyze how legal empowerment initiatives can support the recognition and protection of traditional fishing rights while promoting sustainable marine governance in Banyuwangi.

Method:
Using a qualitative case study approach, the research involved in-depth interviews with local fishers, community leaders, government officials, and environmental NGOs. Legal document analysis and field observations were conducted to map the interaction between customary practices and state marine conservation regulations.

Findings and Results:
The findings show that legal empowerment—through legal literacy programs, participatory mapping, and advocacy—has improved the capacity of fishing communities to engage in policy dialogues. These efforts led to partial recognition of traditional fishing zones within marine conservation plans and opened channels for co-management agreements. However, institutional fragmentation and lack of legal clarity remain major obstacles.

Urgency:
Without targeted legal empowerment, traditional fishers risk further marginalization under conservation frameworks that do not account for customary marine tenure systems. Addressing this gap is urgent to ensure both social justice and ecological sustainability.

Contribution:
The study contributes to legal empowerment discourse by highlighting how local knowledge and legal capacity-building can bridge the divide between conservation goals and indigenous resource rights. It underscores the importance of inclusive governance in marine policy.

Recommendation:
It is recommended that marine conservation policies incorporate participatory legal mechanisms that acknowledge traditional marine resource use. Policymakers should promote co-management frameworks and strengthen legal education among coastal communities to ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes.