The purpose here is to assess the impact of the 1980 trawler ban on demersal resources landing, shrimp export, and employment in the two areas of Indonesia affected by this policy, the Malacca Straits and the north coast of Java. Between 1975 and 1980, trawler in these two areas accounted for more than half of all trawlers in Indonesia as well as more than half of total trawler landing. The Malacca Straits and the north coast of Java are Indonesia's most important fishing grounds. In 1980, the year trawler were banned, these two areas combined accounted for 44% of landing by all gear in Indonesians,