That’s the question Indonesian coastal people are asking, as their government considers turning over the whole 90,000 km to commercial operations. Indonesia is a major centre for shrimp farming, and if a proposed new law goes through, aquaculture corporations will be able to bid for 60 year leases on the country’s shores. Local fishing communities who have lived on the islands for generations would see their way of life summarily brought to a close, in what sounds a lot like a coastal version of the land leasing deals that have been mooted across Africa.
The Ecologist has been investigating, and you can read the article here or watch the documentary below.
The Earthbound Report 