On October 24, during a visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Washington, Indonesia and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation.

“As part of the U.S.-Indonesia Strategic Partnership,” said a statement from the U.S State Department, “the United States and Indonesia are working together on a wide range of maritime cooperation that will advance our shared maritime security interests, protect our global oceans, and promote sustainable development in the marine sector.”

The following are the areas included in the cooperation agreement:

Promoting environmentally-sustainable economic growth. The United States and Indonesia will explore and support trade and investment activities to further develop trade ties between the United States and Indonesia in the maritime sector. The two countries will explore the creation of public-private partnerships, organization of business roundtables, and promotion of trade shows to support the sustainable development of Indonesia’s fisheries and ports. Indonesia and the United States, including through collaboration with the private sector, will support the use of sustainable catch methods by seafood businesses operating in Indonesia.

Improving security at sea and ports. The U.S. Coast Guard and Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security Program conduct boarding officer training courses. The U.S. Coast Guard’s International Port Security Program also conducts capacity building for compliance with International Ship and Port Security standards. These efforts aim to detect and deter security threats in the maritime transport sector, especially for goods shipped between the United States and Indonesia.

Protecting coastal communities and fisheries. The U.S. will be providing substantial assistance to support conservation of marine biodiversity, sustainable fisheries management, and improved governance of marine resources at local, district, provincial, and national levels in Indonesia.

Combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The two countries will work to combat and deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing both in Indonesian waters and in the broader ASEAN region.

Expanding marine science and technology collaboration. The U.S. and Indonesia will conduct joint observation and research on marine ecosystems, including oceanographic and climate variability research to improve understanding of the interactions between the ocean and atmosphere and the ability to predict long-term climate change and ecosystem responses.

The accord also includes measures to assist victims of forced labor in the seafood industry and assisting and protecting migrant movements.