Can the Nickel Industry and Traditional Fishermen Coexist?

A reflective story from Arisa F. Pangaribuan, about nickel and the sea of Central Halmahera.

Halmahera is the largest island in North Maluku Province. Not only is it large, but it also holds significant resource potential. Both renewable and non-renewable resources are abundant in Halmahera. Furthermore, Halmahera is a key location for scientific research, as it was there that Alfred Russel Wallace proposed the theory of evolution through natural selection, which he passed on to Charles Darwin.¹

Halmahera Sea and Central Halmahera

The Halmahera Sea is located to the east of Indonesia. This marine area falls within Fisheries Management Area (WPP) 715.² This area also includes the waters of Tomini Bay, the Maluku Sea, the Seram Sea, and Berau Bay. Along with WPP 716 and 718, this area was once proposed as a National Fish Barn (LIN), although its implementation remains unclear.³. One of the production potentials of these waters is various types of fish.⁴, including tuna.⁵

Administratively, the Halmahera sea is part of North Maluku Province, with marine capture fisheries production based on district/city as follows.

(Source: BPS North Maluku, 2026)

Based on the data in Table 1, Central Halmahera Regency produced 11,271 TP3T (2024) and 10,711 TP3T (2023) of the total marine fish catch in North Maluku Province, ranking fourth. This demonstrates Central Halmahera Regency's strategic position in regional capture fisheries production.

The Presence of the Nickel Industry in Central Halmahera and Fishermen's Activities

Nickel exploitation in Halmahera has been ongoing for a long time, with mining operations beginning in the 1990s. The scale of this industry has grown even more massive since the opening of the PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (PT IWIP) mineral processing industrial area in Weda Tengah District, Central Halmahera Regency, in 2018. This industrial area covers approximately 15,000 hectares, employs over 82,000 workers, and has an investment value of no less than USD 15 billion.⁶,⁷.

Of course, industrial areas don't exist solely for their production activities. Numerous activities support the existence of industrial areas, including land, sea, and air transportation. Central Halmahera is home to Weda Port, Patani Port, Gebe Port, and Banemo Port. The port closest to PT IWIP is Weda Port, located in Weda District. In 2023, there were 718 annual trips by nickel-related vessels entering and leaving Weda Port.⁸

This is what has been worrying the fishermen around Weda Bay recently, especially the fishing fishermen. Discussion results⁹ Fishermen in Air Salobar and Loleo villages are forced to venture farther out to sea because fish numbers are declining in nearby waters due to deteriorating sea quality. Even venturing farther out to sea doesn't guarantee a bountiful catch. The only certainty is the soaring fuel costs and safety risks. Furthermore, fishermen who place fish aggregating devices (FADs) in these waters often return disappointed, as some of their FADs are damaged or catch fewer fish due to scattered ship traffic. Research shows that interactions between small-scale fishers and vessels involved in the nickel industry negatively impact fishing grounds, both due to larger waves caused by ship movement and the light produced by ships at night and dawn.¹⁰

Imagining the Future

Nickel-based activities are certainly time-limited, as nickel deposits are finite. Meanwhile, fishing activities can endure much longer—their existence has been proven from the past to the present—provided, of course, that they adhere to the principles of sustainability and natural cycles.
Currently, the number of fishing families in Central Halmahera has increased slightly, from 1,019 households (2022) to 1,186 households (2024).¹¹. Therefore, support for maritime and fisheries policies is urgently needed to protect fishing areas and their economic activities. After all, what will survive if fishermen end up hanging up their nets?

Disclaimer:
Written by: Arisa F. Pangaribuan (This article is the author's personal view)

1. https://www.scientia.global/rediscovering-alfred-russel-wallace-the-true-location-of-his-ternate-residence/ (accessed July 28, 2026) ↩︎
2. Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Number 18 of 2021 concerning the Placement of Fishing Gear and Fishing Aids in the Indonesian National Fishing Area (WPPNRI) and the High Seas, as well as Fishing Andon
   ↩︎
3. liputan6.com/bisnis/read/5212718/menelisik-penyebab-program-lumbung-nasional-ikan-tidak-laksanakan (accessed July 31, 2026) ↩︎
4. Marine Fisheries Research Institute. 2017. Potential and Level of Utilization of Fish Resources in the Fisheries Management Area of the Republic of Indonesia (WPP RI). Jakarta: Ref Graphika ↩︎
5. https://en.antaranews.com/news/310203/introducing-indonesian-tuna-to-compete-in-global-markets (accessed August 2, 2026) ↩︎
6. https://pu.go.id/berita/percepatan-pengembangan-kawasan-industri-weda-bay-di-maluku-utara-kementerian-pupr-survei-dukungan-infrastruktur ↩︎
7. https://iwip.co.id/ ↩︎
8. Sangadji, IM, Wisudo, SH, Wijono, ES, Iskandar, BH, & Taurusman, AA (2024). Improving the sustainability status of small-scale tuna fisheries in Central Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation & Legislation, 17(1), 264-271. ↩︎
9.  Discussion of Article 33 Indonesia with fishermen in Air Salobar Village and Loleo Village on May 20, 2026.
   ↩︎
10. Sangadji, IM, Wisudo, SH, Wiyono, ES, Iskandar, BH, & Taurusman, AA (2025). Interaction of small-scale capture fisheries with the nickel downstream industry in Central Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation & Legislation, 18(6), 2518-2531. ↩︎
11.  Central Halmahera Regency RPJMD 2025-2029 ↩︎