For the last past years, China and Indonesia have been facing off over the
sovereignty of waters around Natuna Island where a lot of Chinese fishing vessels
came to the border of Indonesia’s EEZ in the North Natuna Sea to do fishing
activities that based on China’s claim where they have traditional fishing rights. It
began with China’s self-proclaimed of the “nine dash line” which Indonesia’s EEZ
near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea is included. Therefore, the purpose
of this study is to know the validity of China’s claim over traditional fishing right
in the waters around Natuna Island which still a part of Indonesia’s EEZ based on
UNCLOS 1982. This study is a deductive analysis, using a normative judicial
approach which is equipped with comparative approaches. Based on the analysis
yielded that China’s claim over traditional fishing right in the waters around
Natuna Island is baseless and it’s not in accordance with international law.