Image: The Nature Conservatory
Since ancient times, communities living along the eastern parts of Indonesia have been employing a traditional system referred to as sasi in order to preserve the ocean waters on which they depended for their survival. Even before marine protection systems were invented and even before fishing quotas were established through conservation legislation, the local indigenous communities had established their unique practices on when and where harvesting of fish and other sea creatures would take place. Today, with the increasing challenges posed to coral reefs due to over-fishing, global warming and habitat loss, the return of this practice is proving to be a turning point.In many of the islands of Maluku, Papua and even the greater Wallacea region, the communities have now started closing off their fishing grounds, restricting harvesting and ensuring stewardship within the local environment. Scientists are now realising that the rebirth of such practices can prove to be a great example of how indigenous knowledge can work alongside contemporary conservation science.
How the centuries-old sasi system became a model for marine conservation
The roots of sasi stretch back hundreds of years, making it one of Indonesia’s oldest known systems of natural resource management. Embedded within customary law, or adat, the practice allows communities to temporarily prohibit harvesting in specific areas until resources have had sufficient time to recover.The principle is simple but effective. Rather than allowing continuous exploitation, communities collectively decide when fishing grounds, coral reef areas or shellfish habitats should be closed. During these periods, harvesting is strictly forbidden. Once local leaders determine that species populations have recovered, the area is reopened under carefully managed conditions.Researchers Ingvild Harkes and Irene Novaczek noted in a study, ‘Presence, performance, and institutional resilience of sasi, a traditional management institution in Central Maluku, Indonesia,’ that “sasi has been in place for over 400 years” and remains deeply intertwined with local culture and governance systems. Their research highlights how community participation and traditional enforcement mechanisms have enabled the institution to persist despite social and economic changes.What makes Sasi particularly remarkable is that many of its principles mirror those used in contemporary fisheries management. Seasonal closures, restricted access, resource monitoring and community-based enforcement are all strategies now widely recognised by marine scientists as effective conservation tools.
Why Eastern Indonesia’s indigenous communities are reviving traditional ocean protection
The renewed interest in sasi comes at a critical moment for marine ecosystems. Eastern Indonesia lies within the Coral Triangle, a region renowned for containing some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity on Earth. Yet these waters are increasingly threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices and environmental change.Faced with declining catches and concerns about ecosystem health, many communities have turned back to traditional management systems that had been weakened or abandoned during periods of social and political transformation.Studies from West Papua, Kaimana and the Maluku Islands show that locally managed marine closures can help replenish populations of economically important species such as sea cucumbers, trochus shells and reef fish. By allowing breeding populations to recover undisturbed, these temporary restrictions contribute to healthier marine ecosystems and more sustainable harvests.Research such as ‘The Sacred Waters and Fish: Traditional Practices and Fish Conservation in Indonesian Communities’, examining the Koiwai people’s practice of sasi (gam), concluded that the system continues to play an important role in balancing environmental protection with community welfare. Rather than separating conservation from local livelihoods, the approach treats healthy ecosystems as the foundation of long-term economic security.This relationship between people and nature is central to the success of sasi. Communities are not passive observers of conservation programmes designed elsewhere; they are active custodians whose cultural traditions directly shape environmental outcomes.
What the revival of sasi means for the future of coral reefs and global biodiversity
More scientists are now beginning to realise that knowledge-based systems of traditional and local communities can offer solutions to modern conservation problems. In seeking means to conserve biodiversity, the situation of eastern Indonesia is a clear case to show how vital it is for communities to take the initiative in conserving their environment.According to research titled ‘Sasi local wisdom as a cultural capital for sustainable tourism development in Raja Ampat Regency, West Papua,’ published in the International Journal of Green Tourism Research and Applications, sasi acts as an effective common property resource institution because it ensures sustainable utilisation of natural resources and distribution of benefits. Therefore, one can conclude that conserving the environment becomes more successful if people own, control and manage their environment.The restoration of sasi in this case provides another important lesson for conserving the environment in the world. Most indigenous communities have gained years of ecological knowledge in handling the problems within their environment. Instead of being obsolete, such knowledge provides a basis for solving environmental problems.With the current problems facing coral reefs across the globe, people of eastern Indonesia have shown that old wisdom can help them come up with innovative approaches towards conserving the environment. Their efforts show how cultural heritage, scientific understanding and environmental stewardship can work together to protect marine ecosystems for generations to come. Go to Source
