Mangrove Forest Policy in Serangan - Bali: A Case Study of Mangrove Forest Expansion Policy in a Postcolonial Perspective

This study examines the impact of fisherment’s participation (PN), fishermen's knowledge of mangrove policy (PKM), perception of supervision (PP) and mangrove ecosystem awareness and sustainability (KEM) in Serangan, Bali. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, analyzing quantitative data from 95 fishermen through Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), while qualitative analysis was conducted using a postcolonial perspective and Foucault’s Panopticon theory. Research indicates that the perception of supervision exerts the most significant statistical impact on ecological consciousness and sustainability (path coefficient = 0.475), above those of involvement and policy knowledge. Excessive top-down oversight may promote pseudo-compliance rather than authentic ecological awareness. The historical legacy of Dutch colonial conservation strategies, which treated local communities as subjects of control, is still apparent in contemporary mangrove management, constraining community empowerment. In Serangan, the reliance of fishermen on mangrove resources for their daily lives, coupled with the lack of persistent, participatory oversight, undermines the efficacy of formal supervision. The study underscores the constraints of surveillance-oriented conservation strategies in customary communities, where horizontal social norms exercise greater effect than vertical governmental authority. It necessitates a paradigm change towards community-based monitoring that incorporates local cultural values, economic empowerment, and deliberative decision-making. This methodology is posited to promote enduring ecological sustainability and enhance socio-ecological resilience, transcending colonial legacies in favor of participatory environmental governance. The Serangan case offers essential lessons for the reconfiguration of mangrove conservation policy in Indonesia, ensuring ecological efficacy and social equity.