Updated November 2, 2026 by Caroline Smith – University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2026 Graduate, Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology and Shark Angels Intern
Indonesia Sharks: Status + Overview
The beautiful waters of Indonesia are home to an extraordinary diversity of sharks, with approximately 218 recorded species. From gentle wobbegongs and bamboo sharks to powerful bull sharks and great whites, Indonesia is one of the world’s most important habitats for shark diversity. Rare and unusual species, including epaulette sharks and elusive megamouth sharks, also occur in Indonesian waters.
For divers and marine wildlife enthusiasts, encountering Indonesia sharks is an unforgettable experience. Grey reef sharks, bull sharks and bamboo sharks can be found around coral reefs throughout the year, while seasonal visitors such as hammerheads, thresher sharks and silvertip sharks move through Indonesian waters in response to prey migrations and changing ocean conditions, including seasonal upwellings.
However, despite this remarkable biodiversity, Indonesia’s shark populations face serious threats. Overfishing, accidental bycatch and shark finning have contributed to declining populations, leaving many species classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
The IUCN has identified Indonesia as one of the world’s most heavily exploited regions for sharks and rays. Indonesia shark catch volume ranks first globally, highlighting the urgent need for stronger fisheries management, effective conservation measures and improved shark protection.
Indonesia shark protection is essential to safeguarding these vulnerable species and maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. From understanding Indonesia’s shark species and responsible diving practices to exploring Indonesia shark laws and conservation initiatives, there are many ways to help protect these incredible animals.
For a broader view of global protections, see the Shark Angels Shark Status, Laws + Loopholes by Country Hub.
Major Threats to Sharks in Indonesia Waters
Bycatch
Bycatch happens when a nontargeted species is caught in fishing gear, oftentimes left to drown. Sharks are at high risk of bycatch due to the prevalence of longlines set out by commercial fishing vessels. Indonesia has the world’s largest tuna fishing fleet, and the hooks from longlines often catch more than tuna. Roughly 50 million sharks die via bycatch each year, with thousands of mortalities from seabirds and marine mammals as well. In Indonesia specifically, 72% of their shark based products come from bycatch. Indonesia needs stronger policies and better enforcement practices to reduce rates of bycatch.
More on threats facing sharks.
Overfishing
High demand for fish as a food source has put pressure on commercial fishing vessels to bring in larger and larger amounts of fish. This causes severe ecological damage because fish populations cannot recover at the rate they are being caught. Species that give birth to small amounts of offspring or have high gestation periods can be especially vulnerable to overfishing. The coastal waters around Indonesia are frequently targeted, with around 75% of the fish stocks overfished or exploited. Reducing the amount we consume seafood and choosing sustainable options can reduce the demand of fish that commercial vessels are trying to meet.
Shark Finning
Indonesia has historically been one of the countries with the highest rates of shark finning, especially as it was the world’s leader in shark fishing for over twenty years. The demand for shark fins is largely due to shark fin soup, a luxury Chinese dish favored for symbolic reasons rather than taste or nutrition. When a shark is finned, all of its fins are cut off and the body is thrown overboard to drown. An estimated 73-100 million sharks die from this practice each year. Shark finning was recently banned in Indonesia, marking an important step in conservation although increased enforcement and monitoring is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sharks in Indonesia
Q: Can you swim with sharks in Indonesia?
Yes! Shark encounters with ethical tour operators can be one of the most amazing parts about visiting Indonesia. Warm clear waters offer great conditions, and there are a wide range of shark species, among other wildlife, you could see.
Q: Are sharks in Indonesia dangerous?
No. Although bull sharks and tiger sharks are found in Indonesia, and great whites have occasionally been spotted, the vast majority of sharks in Indonesia waters are non-aggressive or timid around humans. It is still important to be respectful of every shark you might see, large or small.
Q: Are shark attacks common in Indonesia?
No. Indonesia is not ranked among the world’s top shark attack locations, and attacks are very rare. Usually one per year, with most attacks occurring from bull sharks near river mouths.
Q: What threats do sharks in Indonesia face?
Sharks in Indonesia are at high risk from bycatch, overfishing, and shark finning practices. Poor management is a threat as well, with stronger laws and enforcement needed to protect sharks.
Q: How big are the sharks in Indonesia?
The biggest sharks in the world live in Indonesia! Whale sharks, reaching lengths of up to 60ft, are a reliable resident in the warm Indonesia waters. There have been occasional megamouth and great white shark sightings as well.
Q: Where are the best places to view sharks in Indonesia?
Indonesia is known for its shark diversity and beautiful waters. Thus, there are many sweetspots to know before booking a dive trip. Cenderawasih Bay is the most famous destination for swimming with whale sharks. Raja Amput is great for viewing rarities like wobbegongs or epaulette sharks. The Banda Sea is ideal for large schools of hammerheads with threshers or silvertips sometimes swimming by.
Q: What can be done to help sharks in Indonesia?
Choose local and sustainable seafood to reduce the demand from commercial fishing vessels. Be aware of labels on what you are buying so that you don’t accidentally purchase a shark product. Support non-profits that are fighting to protect sharks, especially those like Project Hiu that are located in Indonesia. Urge lawmakers to expand shark protections and increase enforcement on pre-existing laws.
Shark Populations in Indonesia
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus): Endangered
- Where: Cenderawasih Bay and Saleh Bay have the most reliable populations
- When: Peak season August-September, year round at Cenderawasih Bay
- Frequency: Commonly seen in select locations
- Notes: The largest shark species, and one of three filter feeders
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier): Near Threatened
- Where: Deeper offshore reefs or lagoons in the Savu Sea
- When: They have year-round populations
- Frequency: Not commonly spotted by divers
- Notes: Opportunistic feeders known as the “trashcan of the sea”
Epaulette Sharks (Hemiscyllium ocellatum): Near Threatened
- Where: Coral reefs and rocky outcrops of the Raja Ampat Archipelago
- When: year-round populations
- Frequency: Very commonly spotted in healthy reef ecosystems
- Notes: They have a unique ability to “walk” on land using their fins
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas): Vulnerable
- Where: Coastal waters near river mouths and river basins
- When: year-round populations
- Frequency: uncommon and only seen at river mouths
- Notes: survive in freshwater and saltwater
Thresher Shark (Alopilas superciliosus): Vulnerable
- Where: Shallow waters of the Alor Archipelago
- When: Year-round but more frequently seen when pregnant females are present
- Frequency: Usually rare worldwide, but they are common only in Alor
- Notes: They stun prey using their whip-like tail
Wobbegong Shark (Orectolobus hutchinsi): Least Concern
- Where: Under coral ledges of Raja Ampat
- When: Present year-round but most common October-April
- Frequency: Commonly found among healthy reef systems in Raja Ampat
- Notes: Known for their excellent camouflage and intricate patterns
Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna mokarran): Endangered
- Where: The Banda Sea along deep walls and channels
- When: October-November has the best chances, with sights March-April as well
- Frequency: Commonly spotted in peak seasons
- Notes: Often seen traveling in large, impressive schools
Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharinus melanopterus): Vulnerable
- Where: Shallow reefs among Raja Ampat, Lombok, and Komodo National Park
- When: They have year-round populations
- Frequency: Regularly seen by divers on most outings
- Notes: Stand out for their distinctive black fin
Credit: Jeremy Wermille
Shark Protection and Laws in Indonesia
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.18/KEMPMEN-KP/2013
- Provides full protection for whale sharks
- Extends this protection to the full shark including fins, cartilage, and all body parts
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.4/KEMPMEN-KP/2014
- Provides full protection for manta rays
- Extends this protection to the ray including fins, cartilage, and all body parts
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.5/PERMEN-KP/2018
- Restricts the export of oceanic whitetip sharks and hammerheads, as well as all body parts and products
- This prohibition was limited and only ran until December 31, 2018
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.58/PERMEN-KP/2020
- Fishing vessels in areas managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) had to follow conservation regulations set in place to reduce bycatch and uphold conservation
- This applies to marine mammals, sea birds, and sea turtles, as well as sharks
Credit: Andrea Pivari
Loopholes in Brazil Shark Laws
Pay-to-Release Program: A program was implemented by an organization called Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan (KUL) that paid fishermen to release hammerhead sharks and wedgefish in an attempt to reduce bycatch on these species. While this initiative was technically successful, researchers noticed that some fishermen were purposefully catching these species to receive the payment. They were bringing in larger catches in hopes of landing more hammerheads and wedgefish. This led KUL to revising this program by instating gear changes and size-based compensation in hopes of reducing the intentional catch of the protected species.
Export Bans: Indonesia prohibits the export of certain shark species, however fishermen willsometimes sell these sharks to other buyers who fin the sharks and export the parts anyways. This complex chain of intermediaries makes it difficult for officials to control what is being sold and to whom. The fins of the sharks are hidden in the middle of bottom layers of cargo on fishing vessels. Many offers only check the top layer because the amount of outgoing cargo can be overwhelming, and the fins go undiscovered and exported.
“Officials must check the accuracy of the amount of catch reported in the logbook, whether it matches the actual data or not” -Tejo Darmono, researcher at the Fisheries Resource Center Indonesia
Faulty Records: MAFF requires that a list of fishing vessels must be provided in order to obtain permits to sell and transport sharks. Because of how large fishing fleets can be, many vessels go unregistered. The sharks that are caught on unregistered vessels are not reported, and are sold illegally. It is challenging to prevent the illegal sale of sharks because they often come from ships that have no official record. Even vessels that are registered will fail to log all of their catches, meaning shark fishing numbers are likely higher than estimated.
“It is impossible for all products sent to be checked one by one, because our human resources are very limited.” -Sarmintohadi, Coordinator of Utilization of Fish Areas and Species at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
Lack of Species Verification: With levels of protection varying between species, it is important to correctly identify sharks when they come in. Officials often lack rapid DNA testing at ports and species can be difficult to correctly identify without it. This means that protected species can be mislabeled and sold for export illegally. Fishermen take advantage of this by purposely mixing fins and products from protected and non-protected species.
Credit: Kevin Yung
Marine Protected Areas in Brazilian Waters – What Do They Mean for Sharks?
Indonesia currently has 76 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) encompassing 13.5 million hectares, and they plan to expand to 32.5 million hectares by 2030. This would make Indonesia one of the world’s leaders in marine conservation.
What’s Working
- In 2021, WWF and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries created specific MPAs for sharks to provide protection for target species.
- These MPAs focus on covering critical habitats for sharks such as known breeding grounds, hunting grounds, or migration areas. This helps extend protection to the highly migratory animals.
- Shark fishing is banned, or at least restricted inside MPAs.
- Researchers conduct surveys to collect data on age, size, behavior, gender, and population of the sharks to monitor their status.
- Tour operators are only allowed a limited number of visitors in the MPAs to prevent stressful encounters for the animals.
The Loopholes
- While there are shark specific MPAs, many of them are not, and do not have regulations in place to protect sharks.
- There are many unregistered boats, and sharks caught by these boats can easily enter illegal trades undetected.
- Existing MPAs do not have strong monitoring systems, nor is there enough manpower to inspect every catch and every boat.
Why It Matters for Sharks
- Many Indonesia shark species that fall on the IUCN Red List and are in need of protection.
- This protection is more dire due to the alarming number of sharks that are sold illegally through Indonesia’s shark fin trade.
- Researchers estimate that the number of unreported sharks caught is higher than the reported amount.
- MPAs are necessary to provide sharks with places where fishing pressures and tourism crowds alike are lessened.
- Sharks are keystone species, meaning they are responsible for maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems, such as the coral reefs found along Indonesia’s coast.
Shark Conservation in Brazil
There are many local shark + marine conservation organizations in Brazil.
- Project Hiu: Works with shark fishermen to transition them into the ecotourism industry as a more sustainable and profitable source of income.
- Gili Shark Conservation: Protects whitetip and blacktip reef sharks through survey dives, photo identification, and citizen science data collected.
- StAR Project: Focuses on restoring populations of Indo-Pacific leopard sharks by raising awareness, re-establishing genetically diverse individuals, and developing the world’s first endangered shark species conservation translocation project.
- Thresher Shark Indonesia: Aims to understand the vulnerability of thresher sharks by increasing local awareness, involving the community, and thresher shark tagging.
Learn more about our global efforts on the Shark Angels Conservation page.
Diving with Sharks in Indonesia
- Cenderawasih Bay: Whale sharks (year-round)
- Raja Ampat: Equalette sharks, wobbegong sharks (year-round)
- Banda Sea: Hammerhead sharks (October-November)
- Alor Archipelago: Thresher sharks (year-round)
Always choose responsible operators and follow the Shark Angels shark diving codes of conduct.
How to Protect Sharks in Brazil
For Lawmakers:
- Expand marine protected areas
- Strengthen enforcement of preexisting laws and regulations
- Vote for laws that support shark and ray conservation
- Align policy with international committees like CITES that regulates international trade of animals and plants
- Work to ban shark finning and shark trade
- Increase funding towards officials that can monitor docks for illegal activity
For Residents:
- Join citizen science projects
- Support and donate to shark conservation organizations
- Don’t purchase shark based goods such as shark fin soup
- Choose sustainable seafood options from local fishermen, rather than large commercial fishing vessels
- Raise awareness about threats facing local shark populations
- Contact lawmakers to encourage them to take action
- More here
For Tourists:
- Participate in ecotourism
- Choose responsible and sustainable tour operators
- Adhere to local conservation rules regarding wildlife interactions
- Support local communities and shark conservation organizations
- Don’t disturb or damage native animals and plants while diving or snorkeling
- Refrain from souvenirs that are made of shark parts such as jaws, teeth, or preserved specimens
- Raise awareness back home about what you learned about Indonesian sharks
- More here
References
- Mongabay (Investigation reveals loopholes for illegal shark fin exports from Indonesia ) – Fishermen have found many ways to skirt around regulations put in place to protect sharks and limit their trade
- Mongabay (Indonesian illegal shark and ray exports remain rampant amid poor monitoring ) – Despite extensive regulations, the shark and ray trade is still going strong due to weak enforcements
- Earth Journalism Network (Uncovering Indonesia’s Illegal Shark Trade — Part 2: Regulators and Traders Play Cat-and-Mouse | Earth Journalism Network ) – Both companies and individual fishermen alike have many tactics to avoid the authorities
- Thresher Shark Indonesia (About – Thresher Shark Indonesia ) – Local nonprofit works to understand thresher shark vulnerability
- Star Project Indonesia (Star Project Indonesia – Ocean Blue Tree – Protecting Our Ocean ) – Restores populations of Indo-Pacific leopard sharks
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.18/KEMPMEN-KP/2013 (Kepmen KKP Nomor 18 Tahun 2013 (1).pdf – Google Drive – Provides protection to whale sharks
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.4/KEMPMEN-KP/2014 (jakarta-regulation-files-461291791847 ) – Provides protection to manta rays
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.5/PERMEN-KP/2018 (52-KEPMEN KP-2020 TTG PELABUHAN PSM (15 MEI 2020).docx (edit HM).pdf ) – Restricts the export of oceanic whitetip and hammerhead sharks
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAFF) Decree No.58/PERMEN-KP/2020 (Permen KKP No. 58/PERMEN-KP/2020 Tahun 2020 tentang Usaha Perikanan Tangkap – JDIH BPK ) – Ensures fishing vessels follow conservation regulations