Marine protected areas (MPAs) are one of the most widely utilized strategies for coral reef conservation. However, throughout Southeast Asia many MPAs are not reaching their full conservation potential because they fail to adequately address the socioeconomic needs and concerns of local stakeholders. This paper examines how local socioeconomic factors influence the ways in which people use and perceive coral reef resources in the communities near Karimunjawa MPA- one of only seven MPAs in biologically diverse Indonesia.