Sustainable aquaculture to ensure coexistence: Perceptions of aquaculture farmers in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Aquaculture has been reported as a global major driver for deforestation and land-use related changes in mangroves, which form one of the main components of blue carbon ecosystems. Indonesia, which houses rich and extensive mangrove forests, should consider mangrove conservation as an urgent task; however, the increasing economic pressures from aquaculture and tourism are resulting in deforestation. East Kalimantan is one of the frontier regions that is facing this balancing activity of protecting the ecosystem while maintaining the economy. Indonesia has adopted an economic policy of becoming a major producer of aquaculture products in the world, and this objective could become a threat to blue carbon ecosystems including the country's mangroves. Various ecological pressures have been caused by land-use change activities, tourism, and urbanization, as well as unsustainable aquaculture practices; specifically, brackish water aquaculture, which is often practiced for a few years before being abandoned. While regulations and guidelines regarding sustainable aquaculture practices have been established on a de jure basis, their effective implementation still encounters certain obstacles because of various environmental and social limitations. To address these de facto challenges, it is essential to increase local communities' awareness regarding mangrove status and relevant aquaculture policies, because these are critical for identifying the underlying challenges of sustainable aquaculture practices. This study conducted an empirical survey to identify and gather basic data on local residents' awareness and perceptions regarding mangrove conservation-related policies and activities necessary for sustainable aquaculture. Consequently, we identified some key relevant actions by farmers and highlighted certain elements of aquaculture policies to ensure the environmental sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem. Furthermore, residents' participation in mangrove conservation could influence their awareness regarding mangrove ecosystems. Tourism-related activities can enable the tourism sector's partial integration into mangrove ecosystem conservation activities. While doing so, aquaculture farmers' local contexts, characteristics, and criteria should be reflected to implement relevant policies effectively.