Bali's Tuna Industry Shadow: Allegations of Illegal Fishing and Management Gaps

As the day approaches noon, rows of fishing and carrier vessels fill the pier at Benoa Fishing Port, Denpasar, Bali, in March 2026. Among the dozens of docked ships, KM Matsam-5 is seen engaged in loading and unloading activities. Fishery crew members (APK) efficiently remove various pelagic fish, including yellowfin tuna, from the ship's hull and transfer them to open-back trucks at the edge of the pier. Throughout this operation, no officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) or the port were visible. "There are none. Usually, there are no officials to inspect the catch," said Rahman, not his real name, one of the APKs met by Mongabay at the location in mid-March. Benoa has long been known as one of the largest tuna landing spots in Indonesia. KKP statistics show that Bali's tuna production reaches 18,800 tons, ranking the province seventh nationally, behind North Sulawesi, North Maluku, Maluku, Papua, Jakarta, and South Sulawesi. From Benoa, a significant amount of tuna is shipped to various export markets. A report by the Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF) titled "Analysis of the Tuna Fishery Supply Chain and Industrial Chain in Benoa" states that the United States is the primary market for Bali's tuna (56.8%), followed by Japan (18.4%), American Samoa (7.9%), Thailand (5.8%), and Australia (3%). The issue is that behind Bali's high tuna production lies the suspicion of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) practices by some of the fleets. For instance, KM Matsam-5, despite lacking adequate legality, is strongly suspected of continuing fishing activities in the Indian Ocean with its 150 gross tonnage (GT) capacity. The vessel's permit with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) expired in December 2023. This situation highlights the weaknesses in Indonesia's fisheries management oversight and the challenges in establishing sustainable fishing practices. Strengthening measures against IUUF is urgently needed to meet the demands of export markets.