Viktor Gustaaf Manoppo, Director General of Marine and Coastal Management at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), revealed that out of 3,862 islands in Indonesia with standardized names, only 197 are currently utilized for tourism investment. “From the islands with standardized names, 3,862 have potential for tourism investment. Of these, only 197 islands have been utilized for tourism investment by 1,197 businesses,” Viktor stated at a seminar on blue economy implementation and small island management in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Wednesday. Indonesia, the second-largest archipelagic country in the world, has 17,504 islands. By 2023, 17,024 islands (97.25%) have been standardized and reported to the UN. An additional 350 islands will be reported to the UN in 2024. Indonesia's islands are predominantly very small (tiny islands) with an area of less than 100 square kilometers (10,000 hectares), amounting to 17,207 islands with diverse typologies, topographies, and sizes. Therefore, there is a need to manage these very small islands carefully.
Utilizing these small islands can directly impact the sustainability of crucial ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and marine resources, which cover 70% of Indonesia's total area. “There are still opportunities for investment on 3,665 other islands. Properly managing small islands can have a positive impact on the country, government, and society,” Viktor noted. To accelerate investment on small islands, the KKP has certified land rights on 58 small islands with the status of Hak Pakai (Right of Use) in the name of KKP. This land can be partnered with businesses interested in investing in small islands. This year, the KKP is in the process of certifying 33 small islands with investment potential in various districts/cities and will continue certifying other small islands. The KKP and local governments can certify at least 30% of each island's area, in accordance with the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency Regulation No. 17 of 2016 on Land Management in Coastal Areas and Small Islands.
