ASEAN-ID Blue Delegates Examine Blue Economy Projects in Banyuwangi, Indonesia

A delegation of the ASEAN‑ID Blue forum visited Banyuwangi, East Java, to observe local blue‑economy initiatives. The trip, organized by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and New Zealand’s MFAT, included stops at the Koperasi Nelayan Merah Putih (KNMP) Lateng and the Bangsring Underwater marine‑conservation zone.

At KNMP Lateng, delegates saw how the fishermen’s cooperative adds value to catches by processing them into higher‑margin products, a model the regent Ipuk Fiestiandani said boosts coastal livelihoods. At Bangsring Underwater, they inspected coral‑reef rehabilitation and community‑run ecotourism efforts that have turned a previously damaged site into a protected area and tourist attraction. Economic‑diplomacy expert Zelda Wulan Kartika emphasized that such grassroots practices will shape ASEAN’s broader blue‑economy future.