The role and responsibility of fishing vessel captains in Indonesia, especially regarding the obligation
to have a Sailing License (SPB) as a legal requirement to be able to sail. The captain as the main worker
of the ship owner has a great responsibility in maintaining the safety of the ship, cargo, and crew. The
SPB Ordinance is regulated by Law No. 17 of 2008, but violations of these obligations still often occur,
resulting in marine accidents. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal sanctions applied
to skippers who sail without a license, as well as analyze the factors that affect the skipper's legal
awareness. The legal research method used is an empirical legal approach by accumulating data through
observation and interviews. The results of the study show that even though criminal sanctions have
been implemented, violations still occur due to a lack of understanding of the law and economic
challenges. Therefore, preventive efforts such as legal socialization and improvement of licensing
services are needed to encourage compliance with regulations. This scientific paper is expected to be
able to provide recommendations for policymakers in formulating more effective and sustainable law
enforcement strategies in the fisheries sector.
Keywords: Captain, Sailing Approval Letter, Law Enforcement.