This study aims to establish a development strategy for higher education in Indonesia’s marine and fisheries sector and to present a direction for international development cooperation through evaluating policies and current problems related to higher education in marine and fisheries sector. To achieve the goals of human resources development in marine and fisheries sector, Indonesian government needs to secure non-salary expenditures to strengthen support for areas directly related to the effects of education, such as improving educational facilities, expanding scholarships, and so on. Education institution needs to develop effective teaching methods and systematic practice-based curriculum that reflects the needs of the local fishermen community and fisheries industry. In addition, it is necessary to support the supply of manpower throughout the fisheries industry. Fisheries industry needs to stop relying on the government or education institutions to secure excellent human resources and actively participate and cooperate in the education field so that excellent human resources can flow into the industry. Based on this strategy, international development cooperation for human resources development in Indonesia’s marine and fisheries sector should focus on qualitative rather than quantitative expansion of higher education institutions.