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THE
DRIVING FORCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF A SHIFT FROM REEF TO PELAGIC
FISHING PRACTISES IN SAMPELA, SOUTHEAST SULAWESI
by
Timothy
Glyn Burns
Thesis
submitted to the University of Plymouth
in
partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
MSc
Coastal and Ocean Policy
University of Plymouth
Faculty of Science
in collaboration with
This
copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it
is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that
no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be
published without the authors prior written consent.
The
Bajo fishing village of Sampela is situated within the Wakatobi National Park
in Southeast Sulawesi. The coral
reef environment around Sampela is perceived to be under pressure from
increasing levels of fishing effort, primarily resulting from population
growth. Operation Wallacea (an
NGO based in the area) is working with the local community to form a
stakeholding committee to manage the coastal area.
In the last five years motorboats have become accessible to fishers in
Sampela and this has seen a rise in the numbers of fishers using motorboats to
fish for tuna further out to sea. Many
of these fishers were formally reef fishers and so this technique is
encouraged by Operation Wallacea, as it may help to reduce fishing pressure on
local reefs. This study aimed to investigate if economic returns were
driving this shift from reef to pelagic fishing and to examine the
environmental impacts of each fishery. Sampling
took place for six weeks between June and July 2002. Reef and pelagic fishery surveys recorded the techniques,
time spent fishing, catch weights, fish identification and fork lengths
amongst other details. Market
surveys were conducted to calculate the price kg-1 of fish at the
main fish market in the area. A
daily catch record was also kept for the tuna bought by Operation Wallacea on
Hoga. Interviews with reef and
pelagic fishers were carried out to examine economic costs, perceptions on
fish stocks and other relevant social factors.
The catch per unit effort (CPUE) was significantly greater for pelagic
fishers than reef line fishers, however there was no difference between the
CPUE of pelagic fishers and net fishers.
The price kg-1 was higher for tuna than reef fish in the
main local market and the price paid by Operation Wallacea for tuna was double
the local market price. Economic
costs, because of high fuel prices, are much greater for pelagic fishers than
reef fishers. The mean economic
return of pelagic fishing is higher than all reef fishing techniques, however
there was no significant difference between pelagic and net economic returns
because of the large variation in catch weight of pelagic fishers.
Pelagic fishing is more lucrative than many reef fishing techniques and
the number of fishers involved will probably increase in the future.
Fishers from both fisheries perceived fish stocks had declined and
large proportions of reef fish and tuna harvested were immature.
These results suggest fish stocks of both fisheries may be under
pressure from high fishing effort and encouraging pelagic fishing may not be
an environmentally acceptable alternative to reef fishing in the region.
The priorities for fishery management are discussed.
List of Contents:
|
Number |
Section |
Page |
|
1 |
Introduction |
1 |
|
1.1 |
Coral
reef fisheries, the Bajau and Sampela |
1 |
|
1.2 |
Aims |
1 |
|
1.3 |
Chapter
Outline
|
3 |
|
2 |
Background |
4 |
|
2.1 |
Current
fishery status |
4 |
|
2.2 |
Coral
reef fisheries |
4 |
|
2.3 |
Indonesia |
6 |
|
2.4 |
The
Bajau |
8 |
|
2.5 |
The
Wakatobi National Park |
9 |
|
2.6 |
Sampela |
12 |
|
2.7 |
The
Sampela reef fishery |
14 |
|
2.8 |
The
Sampela pelagic fishery |
17 |
|
2.9 |
Markets
used by Sampelan fishers |
18 |
|
3 |
Methods |
20 |
|
3.1 |
Fishery
surveys |
20 |
|
3.2 |
Market
surveys |
24 |
|
3.3 |
Daily
fisher income survey and interviews |
24 |
|
3.4 |
Statistical
methods and data analysis |
26 |
|
4 |
Results |
28 |
|
4.1 |
Catch
and effort |
28 |
|
4.2 |
Market
destinations |
34 |
|
4.3 |
Sampoawatu
and Buranga economic data |
35 |
|
4.4 |
Hoga |
36 |
|
4.5 |
Catch
prices |
38 |
|
4.6 |
Economic
expenditure |
39 |
|
4.7 |
Economic
returns |
40 |
|
4.8 |
Environmental
implications |
41 |
|
4.9 |
Fisher
responses |
48 |
|
5 |
Interpretation |
50 |
|
5.1 |
Catch
and effort |
50 |
|
5.2 |
Market
destinations |
53 |
|
5.3 |
Sampoawatu
and Buranga economic data |
54 |
|
5.4 |
Hoga |
54 |
|
5.5 |
Catch
prices |
54 |
|
5.6 |
Economic
expenditures |
55 |
|
5.7 |
Economic
returns |
55 |
|
5.8 |
Environmental
implications |
56 |
|
5.9 |
Fisher
responses |
57 |
|
6 |
Discussion |
59 |
|
6.1 |
The
Sampela pelagic fishery |
59 |
|
6.2 |
Tuna
stocks in the Western Pacific Ocean |
60 |
|
6.3 |
The
Sampela reef fishery |
62 |
|
6.4 |
Future
management of fisheries in Sampela |
63 |
|
7 |
Conclusion |
65 |
|
7.1 |
Concluding
remarks |
65 |
|
7.2 |
Suggestions
for further study |
65 |
|
8 |
Appendices |
66 |
|
9 |
References |
70 |
Figure
|
Title
|
Page
|
2.31
|
Map
of Indonesia and Sulawesi
|
6
|
2.51
|
The
zoning scheme in the Wakatobi National Park
|
10
|
2.52
|
Map
of Kaledupa and Hoga showing the Operation Wallacea research centres and
the designated no fishing zone
|
11
|
2.53
|
Map
of the proposed Stakeholder Zone
|
12
|
2.61
|
Sampela
|
13
|
2.71
|
Fisher
line fishing from a Kalokoe
|
14
|
2.72
|
Active
net fishing
|
15
|
2.81
|
Sampelan
motorboat returning from a tuna fishing trip
|
17
|
2.91
|
Middle-women
selling fish at Sampoawatu Market
|
19
|
3.11
|
Map
of the five areas within the Stakeholder Zone
|
21
|
3.13
|
Surveying
a net catch during an evening reef fisheries survey
|
23
|
4.11
|
Number
of fishing trips per day for reef and pelagic fishers
|
28
|
4.12
|
Fishing
trip time for different fishing techniques and fisheries
|
29
|
4.13
|
Catch
weight and CPUE for different fishing techniques
|
30
|
4.14
|
Catch
weight and CPUE for different fisheries
|
30
|
4.15
|
Catch
weight and CPUE for different reef habitats
|
31
|
4.16
|
Catch
weight and CPUE for different reef areas
|
31
|
4.17
|
GPS
positions of morning reef fishers
|
32
|
4.18
|
Catch
weight and CPUE for pelagic fishers using rompong
and not using rompong
|
33
|
4.21a,b
|
The
relative importance of different markets to pelagic and reef fishers
|
34
|
4.31
|
Fish
price per kilogram at Sampoawatu market for different fishing techniques
|
35
|
4.32
|
Total
price received at Sampoawatu market for different fishing techniques
|
35
|
4.41
|
The
difference in tuna price between Sampoawatu and Hoga
|
36
|
4.42
|
The
number of people and tuna bought on Hoga Island each day
|
37
|
4.51
|
Catch
prices received for different fishing techniques
|
38
|
4.52
|
Earnings
received per trip for different fishing techniques
|
38
|
4.61
|
Boat
and engine costs to pelagic fishers
|
40
|
4.71
|
The
economic returns received for different fishing techniques
|
40
|
4.81
|
Number
of species caught by different reef fishing techniques
|
41
|
4.82
|
Opinions
of reef and pelagic fishers to changes in reef and pelagic fish stock
sizes
|
41
|
4.83
|
Length
frequency distribution for Katsuwonus
pelamis and Thunnus obesus
|
42
|
4.84
|
Length
frequency distributions for reef fish
|
44
|
4.85
|
Fork
lengths of reef fish caught in different areas
|
47
|
4.86
|
Fork
lengths of tuna caught with rompong
and without rompong
|
47
|
4.91
|
Pelagic
fisher views on pelagic fisher numbers in the future
|
48
|
4.92
|
Do
reef fishers desire to become pelagic fishers in the future
|
48
|
4.93
|
Alternative
fishing techniques practised by pelagic fishers
|
49
|
5.21
|
Similarity
dendrogram for market destinations
|
53
|
Table
|
Title
|
Page
|
2.31
|
Figures
giving a socio-economic background to Indonesia
|
7
|
4.11
|
Fishery
summary statistics
|
28
|
4.41
|
Changes
in tuna variables as the number of people living on Hoga increased
|
37
|
4.61
|
Economic
expenditures of different fishing techniques
|
39
|
4.81
|
Lengths
and maturity figures for tuna surveyed in Sampela and Hoga
|
43
|
4.82
|
Lengths
and maturity figures for reef fish
|
46
|
6.1
|
The
CPUE for different reef fishing techniques in different locations
|
62
|
I would like to thank Operation Wallacea for the opportunity to live and research in Sampela. I also would like to thank Duncan May, John Rubin and Chris Majors for their supervision and support during this project, and Konduro, Tikung and Andar for their translation, help and enthusiasm. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped with fisheries surveying including Wai, Louise, Seb, Dom, Nick, Mandy, Chancy, Caroline and Vicky. Finally, thanks to the people of Sampela.
1.
Introduction
1.1
Coral reef fisheries, the Bajau and Sampela
Coral
reefs support many small-scale fisheries in communities within tropical
countries. They produce high levels of productivity, however many are
now under pressure from high levels of fishing effort that can result in
environmental changes to target species and reef ecosystems (Jennings &
Lock, 1996). The Bajau are a
sea-based fishing culture that populate areas of Southeast Asia.
They were once nomadic, however many Bajau have now in villages, such as
Sampela in the Tukanbesi Islands, Southeast Sulawesi.
It
is perceived that many of the coral reefs surrounding the village of Sampela are
under pressure from fishing. This
is primarily due to an increase in fishing effort resulting from population
growth in Sampela, which is traditionally reliant upon the sea and its
resources. Since the availability of motorised fishing vessels in
Sampela, fishermen have begun to fish further out to sea in deeper water for
pelagic fish species, such as tuna. This
shift may be reducing the pressure upon coral reefs in the area as technology
and efficiency increase in many fishing techniques. The reasons behind this shift will be investigated during
this study by comparing the economic returns of each fishery.
The environmental implications or benefits will also be examined for each
fishery, such as the proportion of immature fish caught.
Policy priorities for future management of fisheries in Sampela will be
suggested in the discussion.
The
central hypotheses of this study are to:
1.
Assess if the shift from reef fishing techniques to pelagic fishing is
primarily occurring due to economic returns gained by the fisher
2.
Assess if this shift is beneficial to the marine environment
To
answer these hypotheses the following will be attempted:
To
compare the pelagic and reef fisheries of Sampela, including:
-
catch weight and fishing trip time to calculate catch per unit effort (CPUE)
-
species selectivity of different fishing techniques
-
catches from different locations and habitats
-
proportion of mature fish caught
To
compare the economic returns of different reef fishing techniques and pelagic
line fishers by calculating the:
-
Price per kilogram of reef and pelagic fish sold in Sampoawatu, Buranga
and Hoga
-
Catch prices received for fishers practising different fishing techniques
-
Economic fishing costs, including fuel, gear replacement and fishing
agreements for each fishing technique
-
Economic returns from selling the catch in Sampoawatu, Buranga and Hoga
fish markets after removing the economic costs associated with each fishing
technique
To
examine relevant social factors associated with each fishery including:
-
reasons and desires behind choices of fishers.
-
perceptions of fishers to their fisheries and the future
|
Chapter |
Summary |
|
2.
Background |
A
detailed background is given to the study including: coral reef fisheries,
Indonesia, the Bajau, the Wakatobi National Park, Operation Wallacea,
Sampela, the stakeholder zone, and the fisheries practised and markets
used by fishers in Sampela. |
|
3.
Methods |
The
methods used during the study are presented including fishery and catch
surveys, market surveys, fisher income surveys and interviews.
The methods of statistical analysis used to examine the data are
also given. |
|
4.
Results |
This
section presents the results found during the study graphically, and in
tabular form when required. The
results shown are then briefly described. |
|
5.
Interpretation |
The
results presented in the previous chapter are interpreted and statistical
analysis is provided. This
section brings together the results discussing possible meanings behind
each finding. |
|
6.
Discussion |
The
important aspects of the study are discussed and related to the findings
of previous investigations from the region and further afield. |
|
7.
Conclusions |
The
main conclusions from this work are summarised and suggestions for further
research and management are made. |
|
8.
Appendices |
The
appendices contain the data sheets used to collect data from each survey
and a copy of the interview questions for reef and pelagic fishers. |
2.
Background
2.1
Current Fishery Status
Fisheries are often given the characterisation of being in crisis and many stocks are currently fished at maximum sustainable levels with one in three overfished and being depleted (McGoodwin, 2001). Over-capacity is a major factor contributing to overexploitation and many fisheries across the world must be subsidised to cover costs. Other factors contributing to overexploitation include poor knowledge of science, management failures, a lack of data and statistics, the lack of institutions designed to involve stakeholders in the management process and a lack of long term planning in policy at local, national, regional and international levels (Mace, 1996).
Small-scale fisheries, many of which are found in tropical regions, contain 95% of the world’s fishers and maintain the livelihoods of over 200 million people (McGoodwin, 2001). Small-scale fishers provide approximately half of the world’s fish catch that is consumed by people (McGoodwin, 2001), reflecting their importance to human society. Small-scale fisheries in tropical regions are often dependent upon coral reef ecosystems as they are easily accessible without need for an engine and provide a high level of productivity in excess of 5 t km-2 year-1 (Dalzell, 1996).
2.2
Coral reef fisheries
2.3
Indonesia
Figure 2.31: Map of Indonesia and Sulawesi (World Bank Group, 2001):