Maritime Barriers in Indonesia: Compatibility with the International Law of the Sea and Implications for Marine Ecosystems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25041/lajil.v8i1.5206Abstract
Emergence of maritime barriers in Indonesia has raised legal and environmental concerns regarding public access to marine spaces, coastal governance, and marine ecosystem protection. These concerns reflect tensions between economic development, environmental sustainability, and Indonesia's obligations under international law. Despite increasing attention to maritime barrier practices, their compatibility with the international law of the sea and their implications for marine ecosystems have received limited integrated legal analysis. This article examines maritime barrier practices in Indonesia under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD 1992), the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement 2023), and relevant Indonesian laws and regulations. Using a normative juridical method with statutory, conceptual, and literature approaches, the study analyzes the compatibility of maritime barrier practices with obligations concerning marine environmental protection, sustainable use of marine resources, and access to coastal and marine areas. The findings reveal weaknesses in regulatory coordination, environmental safeguards, public participation, and enforcement that may contribute to adverse impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The study argues that stronger harmonization between Indonesia's domestic legal framework and its international obligations is necessary to ensure that maritime development respects State sovereignty while protecting marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable coastal governance. This study contributes to the emerging literature by positioning maritime barriers at the intersection of the law of the sea, marine environmental protection, and Indonesian coastal governance.
Keywords:
Coastal Area, Maritime Barrier Practices, Marine Ecosystem Protection, National Strategic ProjectDownloads
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