Five Challenges Small-Scale Fishers Face That You Should Know About

_{by Reno Nanda Pratama}

For generations, the sea has been a source of livelihood for coastal communities. These communities rely on the ocean to sustain their lives, primarily through fishing. 

As of 2023, the ILO continues to categorize fishing as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, contributing significantly to approximately 200,000 work-related fatal accidents. FAO estimates that fishing-related fatalities numbered around 32,000 in 2019. Despite these risks, 1.8 million Indonesians were engaged in fishing in 2019, with over 85% of them working as small-scale fishers. This number has been steadily declining due to increasing challenges from various factors.

Recognizing the inherent risks of fishing, MDPI has revealed additional challenges. Data shows that most tuna fishers in MDPI’s working areas are over 40 years old (as of 2024), with fewer young people showing interest in continuing the trade. This aligns with the national decline of the tuna fisher population. This trend isn’t surprising, as small-scale tuna fishers face unique obstacles, including government policies, climate change impacts, economic fluctuations, and environmental conservation needs.

Fishers in MDPI working sites that source their tuna from Fisheries Management Zones (WPP) 713, 714, and 715 encounter complex challenges in the practices. These challenges have been identified from fishers’ testimonies, MDPI fisheries data analysis, and external institutional data comparisons. The five biggest challenges faced by small-scale tuna fishers can be grouped as follows:

High Operational Costs

Small-scale tuna fishers (operating boats under five gross tons) typically use gasoline-powered outboard engines; and  typically need 35–50 liters of fuel for a day trip and need more if they fish more than a day and with additional reserves.

In fishing communities like those in Buru Regency, Central Maluku, Ternate City, and other areas in Eastern Indonesia, fuel shortages are common. The Government is subsidizing Pertalite fuel for small-scale fishers. However, accessing this subsidy requires fishers to have complete vessel documentation and a recommendation from local Fisheries and Marine Affairs Agencies. Despite this, around 82% of small-scale fishers in Indonesia still struggle to access subsidized fuel.

Sumarno, an MDPI-assisted handline tuna fisher in Ternate, North Maluku, shared that fuel subsidies are insufficient. Initially, he could collect subsidized fuel 15 times a month, but now it has dwindled to once a month.

Fishers can purchase fuel independently, but in remote areas like Buru Regency and Central Maluku, supplies are often unstable. As a result, small-scale tuna fishers are forced to buy fuel from retailers at a higher price; it is around IDR 16,000 per liter or IDR 500,000-IDR 800,000 for a day trip as their fishing capital.

Competition With Large Vessels

Industrial-scale fishers have better advantages than small-scale fishers. Both groups compete for access to marine resources, but industrial vessels, equipped with advanced technologies like the Fishfinder, have their own fish aggregating devices (FADs), have large capital compared with the small-scale fisher.

Sumarno, a small-scale fisher from Ternate, expressed concerns over the increasing presence of industrial purse seine vessels in the Maluku Sea. He noted that these vessels deplete fish stocks with their larger capacities, making it harder for small-scale handline fishers to catch tuna, which rely on small pelagic fish as prey.

“All the fishers here complain about the presence of hundreds of industrial purse seine vessels. Now we have to fish farther out just with our small boats, incurring higher costs without guaranteed catches. It’s useless anyway, as there’s no one to hear our complains” Sumarno said.

Read also: #LifeatMDPI: How MDPI is Changing the Game for Indonesia’s Ocean and Small-scale Fishers

Unregulated Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)

Another challenge is the proliferation of FADs. Although the government regulates their placement that outlines specifications, capacity, and locations, implementation often falls short. Many FADs are placed in unauthorized areas; disrupting shipping routes, threatening conservation zones, and potentially causing conflicts among fishers.

While FADs can help fishers locate fish, unregulated use can lead to overfishing and disrupt fish migration patterns. Prayitno, in the journal “Benefits and Impacts of FADs as Fishing Aids,” noted that unregulated FAD use threatens fish stock and disrupts natural ecosystems.

Declining Fish Catches

In Sanana City, North Maluku, a small-scale tuna fisher named Uno Udo recalled how catching four large tunas in 2015 was routine. Today, such a catch is extraordinary.

This decline in tuna catches is echoed by Fegi Nurhabni, Head of the Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation Task Force at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). The Government attributes this decline not only to overfishing but also to the impacts of climate change.

Lack of Regulatory Awareness

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia has issued several regulations governing fisheries. The latest, Ministerial Decree No. 11 of 2023 on Measured Fishing, aims to address overfishing, replenish tuna stocks, and reduce conflicts between small-scale and industrial fishers.

Read also: The Future of Our Fish: Harnessing Data for Food Security

Unfortunately, regulatory dissemination to small-scale fishers remains inadequate. Uno Udo admitted that his understanding of measured fishing is limited to fishery quotas divided between large and small-scale fishers. This information was not obtained through formal socialization but through unverified rumors online.

The quota-based fishing permit system is perceived as complex and burdensome for small-scale fishers, especially in meeting administrative requirements. Most small-scale fishers struggle with the paperwork due to limited advocacy skills and low literacy.

These are the five main challenges small-scale tuna fishers face today. Let’s support small-scale fishers by raising awareness, advocating for their needs in public forums, and promoting fair policy development. Happy People, Many Fish!