Indonesia Evaluates 1,000 Sites for 2027 Red and White Fishing Villages

Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has launched site readiness verifications for 1,000 potential locations for the Red and White Fishing Villages program slated for 2027. ANTARA News reported that the ministry is evaluating land availability, local management institutions, and detailed business plans across 37 provinces to ensure the massive infrastructure push directly serves coastal communities.

Assessing 1,000 Potential Sites Across 37 Provinces

The rigorous site selection process relies on an army of 3,500 trained participants who surveyed prospective locations starting in late October 2026. These field workers learned data collection, community interviews, and digital survey tools during an online training program held from October 27 to 29, 2026, which brought together university representatives, local non-governmental organizations, marine and fisheries polytechnics, and technical implementation units.

Vocational institutions like the Sorong Marine and Fisheries Polytechnic played a direct role in preparing the assessment teams. According to Aktualita.co, the vocational institution participated in training sessions from October 26 to 30, 2026, focusing on site feasibility and field technology. This extensive partnership seeks to avert miscalculations in planning that might yield infrastructure failing to satisfy requirements or proving cumbersome for residents to use to its fullest extent.

Balancing Catch Potential With Local Community Needs

Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono emphasized that this evaluation is vital to guarantee construction satisfies the demands of fishing populations while being supported by an administrative structure ensuring enduring viability. We want to ensure that future KNMP developments meet the needs of fishing communities, support local business potential, and are backed by management structures that ensure sustainable benefits, Trenggono stated during a press briefing in Jakarta.

Aktualita.co noted that location determination cannot rely solely on raw fisheries potential. The assessment weighs transportation access, basic infrastructure, and market connectivity differently depending on whether a community sits on a remote small island or a well-connected coastal mainland.

Infrastructure Requires Proper Management to Benefit Fishers

The evaluation framework drills down into the specific daily needs of small-scale fishers, vessel crew members, women in the sector, fish processors, and traders. Lotharia Latif, the ministry’s Director General of Capture Fisheries, stressed that physical buildings mean little without operational follow-through. Infrastructure development would not deliver optimal benefits unless the facilities were properly utilized, maintained, and managed, Latif said.

Mohamad Abdi, leader of the task force responsible for organizing and designing potential KNMP sites for 2027, further noted that prospective spots must pass rigorous screening regarding fishery viability, operational readiness, and local government support. Abdi cautioned that a site visit from survey teams or a submitted proposal does not guarantee official designation for construction.

Next Steps in the Mid-December Survey Timeline

The exhaustive survey, assessment, and facilitation process will run continuously until mid-December 2026. Priority locations will then receive targeted assistance to secure land titles, establish management frameworks, and finalize business plans before any technical construction blueprints are drawn up.