Proceedings of the International Cyanide Detection Testing Workshop

and securing suffi cient operational funds for
the establishment and running of labs for
detection of cyanide as well as other chemicals
that are prohibited for catching fi sh.
The physical infrastructure needed for these
policy direction of MMAF will include
establishment of labs at regional/export
centers, and provision of fast, easy, cheap,
and portable Cyanide Detection System at
the District Level, to be operated by a District
agency.
Legal and Policy Framework
The MMAF will employ a two layer approach
in reforming cyanide fi shing in Indonesia. The
fi rst layer will be setting up a legality standard,
which will be the fi rst step towards the second
layer: ecolabel certifi cation. The legality
standard will be applied through licensing
and permits based on existing regulations,
including the Fisheries Act No. 31/2004
which explicitly prohibits the industry from
using chemical substances and pose sanction
up to 10 years imprisonment and a fi ne of
maximum Rp 2 billion. The Fishery Resources
Conservation Decree No. 60/2007 regulates
that “…fi sh harvest must hold a license…”
and “…licensing considers fi shing techniques
and gear…”. It is envisioned that MMAF will
issue a Ministerial Regulation and Decrees
which will include a cyanide-free certifi cate
as a requirement for the legality of marine
ornamental business and export. For coral
reef trade, the existing regulations call for
culture permit, trade permit, and a quota
system for export. This regime is currently
under the Ministry of Forestry, soon to be
transferred to MMAF. This will also become
the legality requirement for companies to
meet the legality standard regarding coral reef
trade.
When the legality standard has been developed
and implemented, the development of a
143
certifi cation system for marine products will
be possible. Learning from the success of
certifi cation system in forestry, and failure of
existing certifi cation system for marine product
as developed by the Marine Aquarium Council
(MAC), the development of an ecolabel
certifi cation system for marine product should
consider the following: 1. Development of
economic, social, and environmental criteria,
2. A national processes which shall be based
on multi-stakeholder constituency, involving
meaningful participation and ownership of
MMAF, the industry, NGOs, and fi sherfolk
community, and 3. Market education and
reform.
Telapak’s Integrated Approach to
Destructive Fishing Reform
While MMAF has been developing an
institutional arrangement and legal and policy
framework in abating cyanide fi shing, Telapak
is contributing to the goals of sustainability
and people-centered marine ornamental
industry through an integrated approach to
destructive fi shing reform. This calls for an
integration of conservation purposes and
improvement of local livelihoods. As have
been implemented in the villages in Bali, the
intervention into destructive fi shing includes:
trainings the fi sherfolk in environmentally
fi shing techniques, transfer of science and
technology from universities and the high
end industry to be adapted into local cost
and material, building local organizations and
institutions, and developing micro-enterprises
to refl ect the “from fi sher to exporter”
changes, and public education.
Reforms of the marine ornamental industry
in Indonesia will call for transparent and
independent monitoring system based on the
networks of civil society as its constituent.
Under this direction, Telapak is working with
other NGOs and research institutions to
develop Marine Watch Indonesia. This should