A long history of illegal fishing, the dumping of tailing from mining companies into the sea, and poor support for traditional fishermen are the three main problems in Indonesia's ocean sector. Unfortunately, those issues remain excluded from the agenda at the World Ocean Conference (WOC) that begins Monday.

Activists grouped under the Manado Alliances said their presence here was to observe the WOC and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit. They said they wanted to remind both national and foreign delegates about the real problems in the ocean sector.

"We see the conference falls short of critical and real problems that were excluded from the WOC agenda, namely rampant illegal fishing, tailing from mining into the sea, and the fate of small fishermen," coalition coordinator Reza Damanik said Sunday.

The coalition comprises the People's Coalition for Equal Fisheries (Kiara), the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM), the Hijau Indonesia Institute, the Center for Ocean Development Institute Maritime Civilization Studies, the Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU) and the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi).

Reza, who is also the Kiara coordinator, said the WOC would not guarantee sustainable fishery resources if the host country failed to be "courageous" about discussing the illegal fishing problem at the international meeting.

He added data from the coalition showed Indonesia's fisheries potential was slashed by 30 to 50 percent because of illegal trade practices.

"The conference also falls short on discussing issues related to mining tailing being dumped into the sea," Reza said.

"Many mining firms from industrialized nations operating in Indonesia still dump their mining wastes directly into the ocean."

He added the WOC did not answer the need to protect key fishing areas for the country's traditional fishermen.

"It is the government's responsibility to protect the rights of traditional fisheries from the impacts of global climate change," he said.

Outspoken mining activist Siti Maimunah insisted that participants from NGOs did not intend to disturb the WOC and CTI summit.

"We are here to insist on the substances of the WOC and CTI, which do not answer the root causes of problems in the ocean sector," she said.

Senior officials from 80 countries are slated to begin negotiations to reach a target of collective consensus on the role of the ocean in climate change during the five-day conference.

Organizers say the conference is aimed at raising commitment from international bodies and intergovernmental organizations to protect and conserve fisheries resources to ensure food security.

It is also targeted at drawing global attention to the need to save small islands and coastal areas as part of facing up to the threat from global climate change.

"But there are no representations from *real' stakeholders at the forum, and no consultations have been held to develop the concept of the WOC agenda," Glenn Ismael Ymata, from the regional Assembly of Artisans and Fishermen Trade Conference, said at the coalition meeting.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi has repeatedly said Indonesia has other forums to discuss issues such as illegal fishing.

He added climate change had become a real problem for mari-time countries as it threatened to raise sea levels and sea temperatures, which could kill fishes and threaten the livelihoods of coastal communities.

The police in Manado said they were forced to disband a meeting of traditional fishermen and civil society on Sunday. They declined to comment on the reasons for not allowing the fishermen to camp out in a reclaimed area of Kalasey Beach.

Walhi executive director Berry N. Forqan said the alliance was still negotiating with the National Police in Jakarta to obtain a permit for the meeting.

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