Reviving the Fisheries Co-Management Committee in East Nusa Tenggara
- May 15, 2024
MDPI, collaborating with the Nusa Tenggara Department of Marine and Fisheries (DKP), reinitiates the Regular Fisheries Co-Management Committee (FCMC) to integrate government programs with partners, aiming for sustainable and responsible fisheries management. The event, held on Thursday (02/05) at the Kristal Hotel Kupang, saw 76 attendees from diverse policy stakeholders and institutions engaged in fisheries, both online and offline.
Head of East Nusa Tenggara Department of Marine and Fisheries, Sulastri Rasyid, inaugurated this FCMC, highlighting a range of fisheries issues on both global and national scales, with a specific focus on the province.
“Tuna is a key fisheries commodity in the province. Recently, we’ve faced an issue regarding the declining utilization of tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission area. Therefore, through regional fisheries management organization forums, many countries have agreed to advocate for the necessity of sustainable tuna fisheries management,” Sulastri stated in her address.
She highlighted that a shared accomplishment of the FCMC initiative was some members managed to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for pole and line fisheries, specifically for yellow fin and skipjack tuna in the East and West Flores waters. This certification is a prestigious ecolabel enabling East Nusa Tenggara fishers to access the global market through sustainable and responsible fisheries practices.
Sulastri hopes that all parties and stakeholders will actively support and participate, not only in providing data and information on tuna catch results, but also in collaborating actively to enhance future tuna fisheries management and determine the right direction for tuna fisheries policies.
On behalf of the East Nusa Tenggara Government, she expressed her gratitude for this collaboration. The collaboration established so far, both in tuna fisheries management and coordination on fisheries and fisherman issues in NTT, serves as a spirit of perseverance that needs continuous nurturing.
“We’ve gone through numerous processes together, and I hope this initiative contributes to our collective efforts towards better tuna fisheries management in the East Nusa Tenggara,” said Sulastri.
As the facilitator of the regular FCMC meetings, MDPI highlighted several key points in this year’s gathering. Yunita Mardiani, representing the MDPI Foundation management as the Operation Lead, emphasized three critical issues.
“Currently, there are several fisheries matters that require attention. Firstly, there’s the enhancement of fisheries product value; secondly, there’s the issue of fisheries product traceability; and thirdly, there’s the necessity of meeting legal requirements, reporting, and complying with regulations,” Yunita stated in her address.
Yunita noted that enhancing the value of fisheries products involves more than just increasing production; it also entails improving quality. Maintaining fish quality is crucial for supporting the sustainability of fishery resources. Yunita emphasized that ecolabel certification for fisheries products are expected to enhance product value and serve as evidence of compliance with sustainable standards.
During the discussion session, participants addressed various issues concerning fisheries and fishermen from diverse viewpoints. Topics ranged from disseminating the importance of work insurance for fishers.
Robinson, a representative from one of these groups, mentioned that he and his fellow fishers felt supported in terms of receiving updated information and addressing issues related to fisheries in this activity.
“We were provided with a lot of insights regarding vessel document permits, programs, and current issues in the fishing industry. Additionally, solutions and an increase in the selling price of our catch are hoped for, so that we can balance it with our daily expenses at sea,” said Robinson.
This event concluded with discussions on the achievements of implementing the work plans, which was divided into several groups, focusing on tuna management, octopus management, and marine conservation initiatives.
This meeting serves as a multi-stakeholder forum comprising fishermen, business actors, industries, NGOs, government officials, and academics. FCMC plays a crucial role as a platform for stakeholders to interact, negotiate, share information, and communicate various current regulations related to the sector. The meeting also produced a series of recommendations based on discussions about current issues, aiming to collaborate in supporting sustainable fisheries management.
This year, a Regular FCMC is annually initiated by the MDPI Foundation on seven working provinces: West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and North Sulawesi, and additionally, a national-scale FCMC in Bali.
