THROUGH'F ISHERS’ 'KNOWLEDGE'AND' 'PARTIC IPATION' IN 'SC IENTIF IC 'DATA'COLLECTION'

Describing*the*world’s*biggest*shark*fishery**

Vane s s a & F & J a i t e h a , b , * C a r o l *Wa r r e n b , * N e i l * R * L o n e r a g a n a *a C e n t r e * f o r * F i s h , * F i s h e r i e s * a n d * A q u a t i c * E c o s y s t e m s * R e s e a r c h *

b A s i a * R e s e a r c h * C e n t r e **

MURDOCH &UN I V ERS I T Y & P ERTH , &WESTERN &AUSTRAL IA &

Indonesia’s*shark*fishery*

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Indonesia*and*the*shark*fin*trade*

Biggest'shark'fishery'in'the'world'66%'species'of'conserva9on'concern'

Full'geographic'extent'of'fishery'unknown''

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Java&

Bali&

Australia&

Lombok&

Indonesia*and*the*shark*fin*trade*

No'catch/effort'data'from'Maluku,'Papua'and'NTT''

Shark'fin'='op9mal'product'for'remote'communi9es''

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Java&

Bali&

Australia&

Lombok&NTT&

Maluku&

Papua&

Challenges*for*fisheries*scientists*

Limited'capacity'to'manage'shark'fisheries'DraI'Na9onal'Plan'of'Ac9on'(2010)''

“Problems'with'species'ID,'data'collec9on”'

Cannot'quan9fy'impact'on'shark'popula9ons'

Sharks'not'landed,'catches'not'reported'

Low'research'effort'Many'livelihoods'at'risk''

Conserva9on'not'a'priority'

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Challenges*for*fishers*

Closures'and'restric9ons'to'fishing'grounds'Declining'fin'prices''Declining'catches,'smaller'sharks'Changes'in'fishing'gear'Increasing'living'costs''Increasing'debt''

Declining*catches*+*fin*prices*

Increasing*debt*

Increased*fishing*effort*

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Economic*gain*vs*Ecological*loss*

“Why'would'people'refrain'from'the'exploita9on'of'marine'species'for'their'own'socioWeconomic'needs'in'

favour'of'biodiversity'conserva9on?”'(Visser,'2004)'

Source:*Visser,*L.*E.*(Ed)*2004.*Challenging*Coasts.Transdisciplinary*Excursions*into*Integrated*Coastal*Zone*Development.**Amsterdam*University*Press**

Management'recommenda9ons'must'account'for'fishers’'high'dependence'on'livelihoods'and'limita9ons'on'enforcement'*

Fishers’*data*

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Involving*fishers*in*data*collection*

Biological'and'sociological'methods'Dynamics'of'the'fishery'Significance'of'livelihoods''Ecological'and'economic'changes'

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Case*study*locations*

Pepela&

Kupang*

Dobo&

&&Osi&

Ambon*

Darwin*

M&Nets&

MNets&&MLonglines&(bottom/&pelagic)&

MLonglines&(b/p)& Australia*

Data*collection*at*sea*

Data*summary*

30'fishers'45'fishing'trips'371'fishing'days'3245'sharks'caught''

1905'sharks'measured'(59%)'31'species'+'8'taxa'Top'4'species:'

Shovelnose'rays'Grey'reefs'&'all'black9ps'Sandbar'sharks'Hammerheads'

Catch*composition*by*gear*

Fishers*that*used*nets:*4&(caught*41%*of*measured*sharks)*Fishers*that*used*longlines:*26&

Catch*composition*by*case*study*(Top*10)*

Species

250

200

150-

100-

(J) 50 -

~ 0 ro 2so ­..c (J) 200 -

(5150

(i; 100 "

.c 50 -

E o­::J 2 2so·

200 ·

150-

100-

50

-

0 ~.

Fisher*knowledge*&*perceptions*

On*changes*in*fishing*grounds*

Interviewer:*Where*did*you*fish*for*sharks*when*you*first*went*fishing?*Fisher:*The*first*time*I*went*fishing,*I*went*to*Australia,*to*Broome*there.**I:*And*now,*do*you*still*go*there?**

F:*Oy!*We*can’t*do*that*anymore,**that*is*not*possible*anymore.*Now*if*you*went*there,*your*boat*would*probably*be*burnt.**

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

On*the*most*valuable*species*he*caught*on*his*last*trip:**F:*The*most*valuable*one,*that’s*bull*shark.**I:*How*much*do*you*get*for*one*kilogram?**

F:*We*used*to*get*1.8,*1.9*million*Rupiah*(~*$170b180).*Now*we*only*get*about*600,000*(~*$55).***I:*So*the*price*has*dropped*three*times.***F:*Yes.*So*us*fishers*are*doing*it*tough*if*we*want*to*keep*doing*this*job.***

©*Steve*Lindfield*©*Steve*Lindfield*

On*life*as*a*shark*fisher*in*2013*

F:*So*for*us*fishers*here*it*is*very*difficult*now.**

I:*Yes…*since*last*year,*right?**

F:*Yes.*Now*many*people*in*the*community*here*are*getting*into*people*smuggling.**Because*their*work*is*not*enough*for*them*to*afford*living*costs.*These*days,*if*we*try*to*get*10,000*Rp.*(~$1)*per*day,*that’s*difficult.*

I:*Do*you*believe*that*sharks*are*important*for*the*ocean?*

F:*Yes,*they*are*important.*They*are*

important*for*the*ocean*because*in*

the*open*ocean,*there*are*always*

sharks.*They*have*to*be*free.**

It*is*just*that*now,*to*buy*rice*is*

increasingly*difficult,*so*we*have*to*

catch*them.**

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Ecological*importance*of*sharks*

Conclusions*

To'manage'shark'fisheries'in'developing'countries,'we'need'to'understand'and'account'for'socioAeconomic'implicaEons''Inform'realis9c'management'strategies'Western'solu9ons,'fishing'bans'–>'illegal'ac9vity'Alterna9ve'livelihoods,'economically'comparable'to'shark'fishing'Collabora9on'among'na9ons'to'manage'shared'stocks'

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Takebhome*message*

but*so*is*rice*Sharks*are*important*

*******************************v.jaiteh@murdoch.edu.au&

Ari&amori–&Thank&you&

Fishers&and&respondents&in*Osi,*Dobo*and*Pepela*&

Supervisors:*Neil*Loneragan*&*Carol*Warren**

Assistant:*Irene*Purnamawati**

Funders:*Prime*Minister’s*AustraliabAsia*Endeavour*Award*

Australian*Postgraduate*Award*Karl*Mayer*Stiftung*Switzerland*

*Friends&and&families&in*Indonesia,*Switzerland*and*Australia*