Bali Marine Agency: Nusa Penida Conservation Levy Is Regional, Activity-Based

Denpasar — Bali’s Marine and Fisheries Agency (Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan, DKP) has clarified that the conservation levy applied in the Nusa Penida marine conservation area is a regional charge that has been in place since 2023, not a new national fee tied to boat passengers traveling via Sanur.

DKP Bali head Putu Sumardiana said the Nusa Penida Regional Marine Conservation Area (Kawasan Konservasi Perairan Daerah, KKPD Nusa Penida) is treated as a Marine Tourism Park and managed by the province through its conservation technical unit UPTD Kawasan Konservasi Provinsi Bali. He stressed that, because the area has regional legal status and is operated by local government, any conservation charges are under provincial authority rather than the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan, KKP).

Sumardiana’s remarks addressed public concern over reports that a separate marine-tourism fee might be collected by central government from passengers on the Sanur–Nusa Penida route. According to his explanation, those reports do not reflect the current regime in Nusa Penida, where conservation-related levies are already being collected under existing regional rules.

Activity-based conservation levy

DKP Bali underlined that the conservation levy applies to specific activities inside the marine conservation area, rather than automatically to everyone who sets foot on Nusa Penida. Sumardiana stated that visitors who only travel to or transit on the island are not automatically charged, while tourists who carry out activities such as snorkeling in the conservation zone can be subject to the levy.

He also noted that the levy is not collected at Sanur harbour and is separate from any tourism charges that might be discussed at national level. The clarification is intended to avoid the impression that simply passing through Sanur to Nusa Penida will trigger an additional national marine-tourism fee over and above existing regional and attraction-level charges.

Legal basis and revenue flow

DKP Bali explained that the conservation levy in KKPD Nusa Penida has been in operation since 2023 and forms part of Bali’s locally generated revenue (PAD). Sumardiana said this policy was later reinforced when new regional tax and retribution regulations took effect in 2024, giving the levy a clearer legal footing at provincial level.

The funds collected do not go directly to DKP Bali. All receipts are first channeled to the provincial treasury via the Regional Revenue Agency (Badan Pendapatan Daerah, Bapenda) of Bali, and then allocated through the normal regional budgeting process. According to DKP Bali, some of this budget can be used for maintenance and improvement of the Nusa Penida conservation area, including restoration and coral transplantation intended to protect marine ecosystems that support snorkeling and other tourism activities.

Sumardiana warned that damage to coral reefs would undermine the attractiveness of Nusa Penida’s underwater landscape and could eventually reduce tourist arrivals. He therefore presents the conservation levy as part of a broader financing mechanism for environmental management, rather than as a general entry fee for all visitors.

Implications for travellers

Foreign visitors to Bali may already encounter other tourism-related payments, including the province’s foreign-tourist levy and site-specific retribution for destinations in Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan introduced under Klungkung’s regional tourism retribution rules. DKP Bali’s clarification distinguishes these destination-level charges from the conservation levy in KKPD Nusa Penida, which is explicitly linked to qualifying activities within the marine conservation area such as snorkeling.

For now, DKP Bali’s statements indicate that conservation charges in Nusa Penida remain under provincial authority and are not collected as a blanket fee on all Sanur–Nusa Penida passengers. Travellers planning marine activities, particularly snorkeling inside the conservation zone, are advised to confirm applicable levies with their tour operator or local authorities, as tariffs may vary by activity and by regulatory scheme, including separate tourism retribution applied by the Klungkung Regency government.

Regulatory context

Nusa Penida’s waters are designated as a conservation area by ministerial decision, while their day-to-day management as a marine tourism park is carried out by Bali’s conservation UPTD under regional regulations. DKP Bali’s clarification on 2026-09-15 came amid unease over talk of a possible national-level marine-tourism fee via Sanur, and seeks to reaffirm that the existing conservation levy is a regional mechanism that has been operating since 2023, strengthened by provincial tax and retribution rules from 2024.

Sources

• Balipost - "DKP Bali Tegaskan Retribusi Konservasi Nusa Penida Sudah Berjalan Sejak 2023"
• Tribun Bali - "Bukan Kewenangan Pusat, DKP Bali Luruskan Simpang Siur Pungutan Wisata Bahari Nusa Penida"
• NusaBali - "Waswas Isu Pungutan Wisata Bahari Nusa Penida"
• KKP Legal Documentation Site - Entry for Ministerial Decree on Nusa Penida Marine Conservation Area
• PPID Klungkung Regency - "Pemerintah Kabupaten Klungkung resmi mensosialisasikan Peraturan Daerah Nomor 4 Tahun 2026"
• Detik Bali - "Retribusi Tiap DTW di Nusa Penida Diterapkan Mulai Besok"