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Management Measures of Shrimp Trawling Fishery in Arafura Sea, Indonesia: a Challenge

Management Measures of Shrimp Trawling Fishery in Arafura Sea, Indonesia: a Challenge

Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

MANAGEMENT MEASURES OF IN ARAFURA , INDONESIA: A CHALLENGE

Nurul Af-idati*, Sang-Go Lee

Department of Marine Business and Economic, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea

Received : November, 11, 2008 ; Accepted : January, 5, 2009

ABSTRACT

Since there were many evidences on trawling impact to the environment and society, government has banned trawl operations in Indonesian except for those in the Arafura Sea. It is not solely acquitted trawl operation in the area without restrain, but it has been put together with the measures taken to exploit the shrimp in optimal manner. Those are input controls, output controls and technical measures. This paper examines two major challenges in applying these management measures: declining of shrimp stock and lack of legal enforcement. Come what may the regulations impose in the shrimp trawling, without effective enforcement, the purpose of management unlikely will be achieved.

Keywords: Fisheries, management, trawling, Arafura Sea, Indonesia

*Correspondence: Phone : +62-81329421982; [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Arafura Sea is one of the most productive except for those in the Arafura Sea. Thus, fishing ground of penaeid shrimp Arafura Sea is the only remaining area of in Indonesia (Monintja et al., 2006). sea in the country where the commercial Considered as the most effective fishing trawling, with some conditions, is permitted. gear to shrimp, shrimp trawl had first During 28 years after trawl ban, the shrimp started commercially in 1966 (Evans and trawling fishery in Arafura Sea has not been Wahju, 1996; Nurhakim, et al., 2008). Since without any problem. Nomenclature of trawl, then, shrimp trawl fishery has been severe disturbance to the seabed and large developed rapidly in all Indonesian waters. percentages of unwanted have been The impact of the fishery are declining of appear to be threats for of fish populations which has been traced by shrimp trawling fishery (Purbayanto, et al., fisheries scientist, conflict between trawl 2004). It seems that the enforcement of trawl operators and artisanal fishermen who were ban had been failed to recognize competing for the same in Government’s role in addressing such inshore waters which result on injured environmental problem and fishery party (Purbayanto, 2008). Therefore, under resources depletion. Presidential Decree no 39 of 1980, a ban on This paper focuses on what trawl operations was enforced to all Indonesian Government has attempt in Indonesian waters through several stages, managing shrimp trawl fishery in Arafura

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Sea and its problems on declining shrimp tonnes/year. Meanwhile, the production of stock and inadequate law enforcement, as shrimp trawling has reached 36,670 this related to the need of improvement of tonnes/year (Purbayanto, 2008). Since 1984 legal framework of shrimp trawling in the utilization of shrimp resources show the Arafura Sea. high exploitation rate, contributing around 30% of total shrimp export from Indonesia Shrimp Trawling (Nurhakim, et al., 2008) The shrimp trawls operated in There are 19 species of shrimp identified Arafura Sea are typically double rig otter inhabit seabed of Arafura Sea (Nurhakim, trawl which works by dragging the net along 2008) which are dominated by five species; the bottom of the seabed at a rate of about 2 Endeavour shrimp, Spinny , Tiger to 3.5 knots (around 4.5-6.5 km/hr), scraping shrimp, White shrimp and Banana shrimp up shrimp and everything else in the net path. (Martosubroto, 2005). According to the In fishing effort, the duration of fishing trip fisheries by Ministry of for trawl vessels is from 40 to 60 days and Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF/DKP) the average of fishing days at the sea is and Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) approximately 280 days in a year (FAO, in 2002, the potency of penaeid shrimp in 2001). As shown in (Fig.1) the trawl Arafura Sea is 43,100 tonnes/year and the productivity from 1994-2006 has been Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is 34,480 fluctuating with declining trend.

Fig 1. Trend of shrimp trawl productivity in Arafura Sea (Source: Nurhakim, et al., 2008)

Since Indonesian government issued a trawl simplicity, the term “shrimp trawl” will be restriction through President Decree in 1980, keep used throughout instead of shrimp shrimp trawl net (pukat udang), a similar to trawl net. shrimp trawl but the seine net attached with The main legal product issued by By-catch Excluder Device (BED), has been Indonesian government, Presidential Decree the replacing gear (Monintja et al., 2006). no 39 of 1980, had eliminated trawl Nevertheless, the structure of shrimp trawl operation in Indonesian waters excluding the net is remain unchanged, both rig structure Arafura Sea. This had been implemented and operating ways. The only difference is through following several phases. that shrimp trawl net is attached by a filter to The first implementation phase is exclude non target species (by catch). For definition of banned trawl models. The 57 Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

decree describes the structure of banned trawling in Arafura Sea are classified into 3 trawl which is a pouch-like shaped net with categories described in follow. a beam or an otter board pulled by a vessel or more. Furthermore, it also explained in Input control local name as pukat harimau, pukat tarik, jaring tarik etc. Second phase of trawling Input control regulates what fisheries bring restriction implementation is reduction of into the fishing process or controlling total trawl vessel operating in Indonesian fishing effort taking places (Charles, 2001), waters become 1000 units. This regulation such as fishing license and zoning system. had been imposed for one year, from July 1st (1) In order to obtain fishing license, shrimp 1980 to July 1st 1981. The third phase is trawlers as well as any kind of Presidential Decree No. 85 of 1982 which has been requiring to get recommendation allows shrimp trawls operate in Arafura from organization or association of capture waters beyond 10 meters isobath line (Fig. fisheries and to apply Vessel Monitoring 2). The last phase is Presidential Instruction System (VMS), a monitoring device, in No. 11 of 1982 on implementation of more than 30 GT powered trawls. As Presidential Decree No. 39 of 1980 which obliterating the fishing license for foreign banned trawling totally in all Indonesian flagged vessel, government has renewed the waters, except for those in Arafura Sea. regulation by giving fishing license only if the company establishes unit Management Measures in Indonesia. Furthermore, the establishment of processing unit should collaborate with The exclusion of trawling ban in Arafura domestic company to provide job Sea is not solely acquitted trawl operation in opportunities for local people and to raise the area without restrain, but it has been put foreign exchange. (2) Establishing trawling together with the measures taken to exploit zone in Arafura Sea to avoid social conflicts the shrimp resources in optimal manner. happening among fishers, to protect small- Those include controlling fishing scale fishers from industrial fishery in the efforts into sustainable level of fisheries fishing grounds and to protect resources resource, environmentally friendly fishing from damage. It allows trawl vessels activities and assessment of other activities operated in the eastern of 130° longitude and which have impact on fisheries resources beyond 10 meter of isobath line (Fig.2). and the environment. This measure has been a basis of fisheries The management measures taken by management oriented in environmental Indonesian government in managing shrimp sustainability and equity.

Fig 2. The trawlable area in Arafura Sea (inside the borderline) 58 Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

Output Control hand over the by-catch species to the local fisheries cooperatives. Output control regulates the total harvest of fish stock in the fishery system (Charles, Challenges 2001). Such control in this situation is called Total Allowable Catch (TAC) which limits The major challenges facing Indonesia’s shrimp catch to level 17,200 tones according MMAF as a manager of shrimp trawling to the Decree of Ministry of No. in Arafura Sea, in addition to its 995/Kpts/IK.120/9 of 1999. implementation and enforcement problems, is the issue of establishing catch limits, Technical Measures protection criteria for populations and species and other conservation/protective Technical measures is aimed to limit the measures. “how, when and where” of fishing are Fisheries scientists have traced the restrictions to regulate the output which can sharp decline of fish populations in the be obtained from a specified amount of Arafura Sea, although the exact dimensions effort. In terms of the above regulations, of the fish stock depletion are unclear. these measures generally attempt to (Heazle and Butcher, 2007). influence the efficiency of the fishing gear Decreasing trend of shrimp trawl (FAO, 1997a; Charles, 2001). productivity (Fig. 1) over the last decade has (1) The Presidential Decree No 85 of 1982 been considered as the result of a requires each unit of trawl to apply By-catch combination of much greater fishing effort Reduction Device (BRD). It is an embedded and destruction of fish habitats. Another frame in the net between body and codend evidence of in Arafura Sea is the part which the function is to release the fact that shrimp production of Arafura Sea capture with larger size than the mesh size has reached a level beyond the TAC, as (Purbayanto, 2004). BRD can improve the mentioned in part 2. selectivity of shrimp trawlers, thus it allows The Presidential Decree requiring BRD them to catch shrimp in more relative attachment on trawl vessel does not seem to amount than other organisms. (2) In addition, be able to solve the perceived lack of according to Decree of Ministry of selectivity of the trawl net, which result on Agriculture no.1 of 1975, the minimal mesh capture of a huge quantity and diversity of size required is 25 millimeters or 1 inch. (3) non-target species. According to the BPPI Facing the problem of by-catch discard, report, there have been an increasing regulation on utilization of by-catch species proportion of non-target species to shrimp has been brought up by Decree of Ministry from 9:1 in the year before 1998 to a range of Agriculture No. 930/Kpts/UM/12 of 1982 of 8:1 to 13:1 in 1998 (FAO, 2001) which and the Decree of Directorate General of means the possibility of discard practice is Fisheries No. IK 010/S3.8063/82K. Both increasing as well. (Purbayanto et al., 2004) asserted that trawler operator companies that has estimated 332.186 ton/year of fish have licenses for shrimp trawl net should protein wastes on the sea as result of shrimp trawling in Arafura Sea.

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Table 1. An Estimation of By-catch Amount in Shrimp Trawl Fishery in Arafura Sea (Purbayanto, et al., 2004) Volume By-catch Fishing Ground Ton/haul Ton/day Ton/trip 1.03 7,21 216,30 Dolak waters 0.93 6.50 195.09 Aru waters 0,37 2,57 77,07 0,04 0,31 9,24 Kaimana waters 0.23 1.61 48.30 Average 0,52 3,64 109,20 Amount of shrimp trawl 336 Estimation of by catch potency (ton/year) 332,186

The huge amount of non target species fisheries make it impossible for scientists to consists of , , provide management advice that would not chepalopod (), and rays, be undermined by uncertainty arguments and (Badrudin et al., 2004). from industry (FAO, 1997b). Fishermen usually discard the low Another major challenge in managing commercial value of those catch since it is shrimp trawling in Arafura Sea is the lack of not economical to retain it onboard. The legal enforcement. Although Indonesian discarded catch may consist of undersized government has a series of laws that address species, juveniles, inedible and damaged coastal management in Indonesia authority, fish and seabed debris. However, the there appears to be high degree of optimal by-catch utilization along the line disobedient behaviour. This has caused with Code of Conduct Responsible Fisheries widespread illegal fishing fishing practices principles (FAO, 1997a) that require the by- in almost all Indonesian coastal areas, catch species on board preserved is including the Arafura Sea (Pet-Soede and practically not easy because of space Djohani, 1998). In addition, there has been limitation in the fish storage. The trawl an unknown number of vessels, both operators are objected to spend the time and Indonesian and foreign, that did not appear effort for handling a portion of the catch in any statistics (Heazle & Butcher, 2007) considered as trash. Yet, by catch utilisation After the trawl banning, in 1989 there sometimes fail to address more fundamental was common arrangements for foreign ecological questions. Indeed, even if all the companies called charter their vessels to by-catch could be processed, part of Indonesian companies. The foreign the problem (creating a shrimp-dominated companies, in these arrangements, were ) would remain (EJF, 2003). supposedly bound by many regulations. In addition, Sadhotomo et al., (2003) Among other things, the arrangements has released that these trawl nets can specified that thirty percent of the crew had severely disturb species composition and to be Indonesian, their nets had to have a size composition of shrimp and demersal certain minimum mesh size, and they had to fish. Moreover, the index of abundance unload their catches in an Indonesian port. certainly decreased shown by the declining In practice, they comply with few of these of fishing rate, increasing dominancy of regulations. The chartered fishing vessels another and species replacement whose all the crews were from original of shrimp. However, the absence of reliable countries (mainly Thailand), uncontrollably data on catches and the status of Indonesia’s operated within teritorial waters of Arafura 60 Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

Sea event close to the coastal zone and encouraging over-fishing and sea ecosystem estuarine. (Badrudin et al., 2008; Nurhakim distraction. At the same time, Indonesian et al., 2008). Most notably, they used fine- government has been facing multitude meshed nets, and there is some evidence that problems in law enforcement activities, from the catch obtained by these vessels is monitoring and surveillance to trial and commonly unrecorded/unreported because deterrent penalties. There were shortages in these catches were directly transhipped and government management agencies in terms transported to the original countries, and no of motivation, coordination, knowledge, records from the Indonesian side (Fegan, infrastructure and funding support. 2003). At the same time they enjoyed the An idea of fishing moratorium advantages of operating under the (suspension of fishing activities) in Arafura Indonesian flag, the most important of Sea by MMAF should be appreciated, in which was subsidised fuel (Heazle & which the idea is to close the Arafura Sea Butcher, 2007). These practices would from trawling activities in a certain period undoubtedly cause big losses to Indonesia, while other gears are still allowed to exploit due to the fact that beside the index of demersal fish. The no 31 of abundance will certainly decrease, in the 2004 is a basis of the moratorium by context of stock assessment carried out by establishing fishing area and fishing season Indonesian side, unreported catch will lead (Purbayanto, at al., 2008). It is implied that to inappropriate results and the outputs of those are closure system in which the certain the assessment will be misleading (Badrudin area and certain season are closed et al., 2008). To this time, other violations temporarily to give opportunity for juvenile on trawling regulation still happen mostly by to reach commercial size, replenish local foreign trawls (Wiguna, 2007, Fegan, 2003) stocks and the habitat recovery. argues that having Indonesian Navy interest In trawlable area of the Arafura Sea, on the has also resulted fisheries scientists have recognized that the difficulties for the government in most of area within 12 miles from coastline implementing the trawling regulation in the waters is the spawning ground and nursery Arafura Sea. The involvement of the Navy’s ground for and other animals Cooperative Enterprise in the fishing (Nurhakim et al., 2008). Therefore when the industry as a business partner of the leading spawning seasons of shrimp have come, the foreign fishing companies, whose trawlers areas should be temporarily prohibited for fish in Arafura Sea, has resulted in fishing activities and allowed to be fished ineffective law enforcement in the field. after the spawning season is elapsed. (Heazle and Butcher, 2007). Some states in Australia have been This sea is coming under intense imposing this closure area and closure pressure from illegal, unreported and season for shrimp trawling activities in order unregulated fishing activities. If this trend to let the shrimp juveniles grow to the persists, the fish protein dependent marketable size (Grafton et al., 2006). The communities that surround the sea will face same system could be imposed in Arafura a considerable challenge in sustaining their Sea as well. Once the closure is in place and livelihoods (Nurhakim et al., 2008) the trawling is prohibited then no by-catch will be (legally) caught. Closures also afford to fully protect by-catch species while they remain within closed areas. It is unlikely that CONCLUDING REMARKS BRDs will ever achieve an equal level of protection. However, come what may the To this time, shrimp exploitation using trawl fishing regulations imposed into the shrimp gear has been continued in Arafura Sea trawling, without effective enforcement of 61 Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

fishing regulation, the purpose of fisheries recalling the initial impact of the ban on management unlikely will be achieved. trawling in western Indonesia in 1980. Strict Then, how these destruction practices enforcement of the ban, which took the form of have been allowed to of a presidential decree, brought about a happen? The answer is involving the rapid recovery of demersal fish populations political and social complexity in Indonesia. in the Straits of Malacca and the Java Sea The country is a highly fragmented made (Bailey, 1997) naturally structure of competing components that in many cases have to raise their own profits in order to function (Heazle and EFERENCES Butcher, 2007). The Indonesian navy, which R responsible for enforcing fisheries regulations but short of funding, has a direct Badrudin, Nurhakim S, and Fegan B. 2004. interest in the fishing industry, while Catch Rate and Catch Composition of provincial authorities have the power to Trawl-fish net in the Arafura Sea. issue licenses for quite larger vessels. Indon. Fish. Res. J. 10: 1 During fisheries regulations are enforced so far, they are often enforced unofficially, Bailey, C. 1997. Lessons from Indonesia’s even sometimes violent way enforced by 1980 Trawler Ban. Mar Pol, 21(3) : local fishing communities rather than by 225-235 state authorities (Heazle and Butcher, 2007). Although there were signals of change that Charles, A.T. 2001. parliament passed a law declaring that System. Blackwell Science. London, military would give up all its business by UK. 2009, another rule undermined it. Right after it passed, the new minister of defence Environmental Justice Foundation – EJF. indicated that the new law would not apply 2003. Squandering the : How to businesses having assets worth less than 5 shrimp trawling is threatening billion rupiahs ($550,000), as these would ecological integrity and security be needed to fulfil the soldiers’ needs. Such around the world. Environmental an interpretation would create a great range Justice Foundation, London, UK. of opportunities to elude the new law. When the navy is able to engage in the fisheries Evans, S.M. and R.I. Wahju. 1996. The business, it will inevitably have conflicts of of the Arafura Sea interest that will weaken its ability to (eastern Indonesia). Fish. Res. 26: enforce regulations designed to limit the 365 - 371. exploitation of marine resources. The empowerment of local FAO. 1997a. FAO Techincal Guidelines for communities may mean little effect in the Responsible Fisheries. FAO, Rome face of large fishing companies operating powerful fishing boats over large sections of FAO. 1997b. FAO Fisheries Circular No. 29 the Arafura Sea. Only government are FIRM/C920, Western Central Pacific. capable of regulating such industrial forms Review of the state of world fishery of fishing. In 2002, MMAF has established resources: Marine Fisheries, Rome the Arafura and Timor Seas Expert Forum (ATSEF) seeks to promote sustainable FAO. 2001. Tropical Shrimp Fisheries and management of the seas by preventing, Their Impact on Living Resources. deterring and eliminating IIU fishing in FAO Fisheries Circular No. 974 Arafura and Timor Seas. Here, it is worth FIIT/C974. Rome. 62 Journal of Coastal Development ISSN : 1410-5217 Volume 12, Number 2 : February 2009 : 56 - 63

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