Indah Rufiati is from the archipelago nation of Indonesia and has worked with small-scale fishing communities for more than a decade. In her role as Fisheries Lead at Blue Ventures (BV), Indah supports communities across Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and West Africa to revitalise traditional fisheries practices, safeguard local institutions, enhance value chains and improve financial inclusion. Indah has a passion for data and has played a central role in the rollout of BV’s ground-breaking data system, enabling fishers and partner communities across 14 countries to monitor their fisheries in real time. Indah is also an accomplished artist. Her love for the marine environment inspires her paintings and sets the tone for a forthcoming film she is directing on community-based fisheries management – to be released in 2024. Indah is deeply committed to community-based conservation and fisheries management and has extensive lived experience on the frontlines of the ocean emergency. This has given her uniquely valuable insights into building lasting relationships, not only with coastal fishers but with researchers, practitioners and government representatives.
