Culture, capture conflicts: sustaining fish production and livelihoods in Indonesian reservoirs

The project received final approval and funds became available on 01-06-04 and activities commenced almost immediately. Relevant recruitments (two Research Assistants in Indonesia and one at Deakin University) were made, and other activities began quickly following these recruitments.

Analyses of historical data on cage production and wild catches and interactions thereof were completed and a manuscript was drafted. The Indonesian counterparts to coordinate the different components of the projects, i.e. Culture (Maskur), Capture (Endi Kartamihardja) and Socio-economic (Dr. Sonny Koeshendrajana) were appointed. A meeting of all Indonesian researchers were held on 25-09-04, in conjunction with Principal Investigator's travel to Indonesia on other work. The Indonesian researchers commenced cage culture and wild fishery surveys in December 2004, and the expected cage culture responses from Saguling, Cirata and Jatiluhur reservoirs are 72, 355 and 28, respectively, and correspond to 10% of all cage farmers in each of the reservoirs.

Enumerators for the capture fishery component were selected and the field surveys on daily catches also commenced in December 2004.

With regard to the Socio-economic component a work plan was developed, and a questionnaire was designed. A rapid census was undertaken. The survey revealed that there are 282, 3,554 and 963 cage farmers in Jatiluhur, Cirata and Saguling reservoirs, respectively, and 871 and 94 active wild capture fishery households in Jatiluhur and Cirata (Saguling does not have a wild fishery).

It is expected to have the first stakeholder meeting in May 2005, in conjunction with a visit by the Principal Investigator. The stakeholder meeting will be attended by representatives of the wild fisheries and cage farmers, the fishery conservation units, provincial authority and the researchers, and will be held for each of the three reservoirs. An agenda will be developed for this purpose, and issues arising from the on-going surveys will be addressed at the meetings.

The project work has continued as planned from its commencement on 01 June 2004. The historical data on cage culture practices in Cirata, Saguling and Jatiluhur reservoirs were completed and the information was published in a peer reviewed journal in 2005 (Fisheries Management and Ecology).The Indonesian counterparts coordinating the different components of the projects, i.e. Culture (Maskur), Capture (Endi Kartamihardja) and Socio-economics (Dr Sonny Koeshendrajana) have continued conducting regular sampling surveys and the preliminary findings were presented at a workshop held at a back to back workshop on "Culture-based Fisheries: Dissemination of Better Practice Models", in Bandung, on 17-20 October 2005.

This workshop brought together all stakeholders including representatives from the water management authority. It was agreed that all stakeholders have to coordinate their efforts and that the final recommendations to attain sustainability of the cage farming and capture fishery activities needs to be finalised by the end of 2006 and implemented almost immediately.

Currently, there are 2,823,554 and 963 cage farmers in Jatiluhur, Cirata and Saguling reservoirs respectively and 871 and 94 active wild capture fishery households in Jatiluhur and Cirata. Saguling does not have a wild fishery and it was agreed that the livelihoods of these persons and those involved indirectly in the sector have to be safeguarded through adoption of suitable strategies based on the scientific and socio-economic findings of the project.

The socio-economic researchers (Sonny Koeshendrajana, Fatriyandi Nur Priyatna) have made good progress and have submitted two Abstracts of their findings to be presented at the forthcoming international Symposium on Cage Culture "Cage Culture Asia-2" to be held in Hanzhou, PR China in July 2006.

The project, from the date of inception, attracted much public attention and that of the district fishery authorities responsible for managing the three water bodies. The project received extensive cooperation of the farmer and fisher cooperatives in each of the reservoirs, and the district authorities, who facilitated the interaction between researchers and the stakeholders, and in turn the project was successful in bringing the fish farmers and capture fishers together. Apart from the specific outcomes spelt out later, the main outcome was impressing upon the stakeholders the need for a holistic approach to sustain both sectors in the long term and minimise conflicts. Accordingly, the fish farmers have agreed to accede to the request that there is a need to resite the cages, and the need to reduce the intensity of activities, in particular excessive levels of feeding, for a pre-determined period, especially in Saguling and Cirata reservoirs, where the farming intensity has exceeded the potential carrying capacity of the water bodies. The problems encountered in Jatilnuhur are much milder, and for all intents and purposes both fishing and farming activities can continue as at present, as reflected in the significantly higher capture fishery yield.

The project, as envisaged originally, was successful in developing yield predictive models for the capture fisheries of the three reservoirs, which will be utilized in the management of this sector. The historical data available on cage farming formed the basis for detailed analyses of the cage culture activities of the three reservoirs which were completed. Based on these analyses and in puts from the socio-economic component a cage farming management strategy is being developed for the three reservoirs, where property rights are also taken into consideration to a significant extent. In this regard extensive stakeholder consultations were undertaken, on a regular basis, and as the data became available the stakeholders have been gradually apprised of the potential changes that are likely to come into being to achieve sustainability.

The project also provided the opportunity for significant capacity building in the Directorate of Aquaculture and the District Fishery Authorities (Purwarkarta, Bandung & Cianjur), and was successful in facilitating greater interaction and understanding which will hold in good stead in implementing an overall management strategy(ies).

Project also provided opportunity for the researchers to disseminate and share the findings at international meetings and for networking amongst scientists with similar interests in the region. It is pleasing to note that the Directorate of Aquaculture has already made budgetary provision for implementation of the final management plans, and for wider dissemination thereof.

The MoU between NACA and ACIAR was signed on 31 March 2008, and the first payment was received on 28 April 2008. However, the commencement of the project was delayed as a result of introduction of new regulations by the Indonesian Government, and the approval to proceed was obtained by the Ministry of Finance only in August 2008.

The inception meeting of Phase 2 was held at the DGA's Office in Jakarta; attended by all project partners, ACIAR Country Manger, Indonesia, Julien de Meyer, and was co-chaired by Dr. Reza Shah Pahlevi, Head of Program Division and Fatuchri Sukadi.

This project was the first to have obtained registration of the MoF, under the newly introduced regulations (707-777-101).
The guidelines for co-management have already been provided to the stakeholders of Jatilnuhur & Cirata for scrutiny at a consultation on 30 June 2008
DGA of aquaculture has made budgetary provision of A$47,604 for the local counterpart funding for implementation of aspects of the project
Stocking of the reservoirs commenced in June 2008:
2.1 million milkfish fingerlings, 5-7 cm, stocked in Jatlnuhur
200,000 in Cirata
The stocking was attended by the Hon. Minster for Marine Affairs & Fisheries
Further stocking will continue to meet the target recommendations of 4 million
Witnessed stocking in J on 20 August 2008
The Directorate of Human Resources Development have recruited 4 RAs dedicated to aspects of the project; monitoring and implementation of co-management; farmer training; and in addition will provide dissemination material
Two post-graduate students from University of Bogor will be researching on the success of co-management and the stock enhancement program

Stocking

Milkfish fry, hatchery produced are bought by the DGA at the cost of Rp20 per tail and transferred to the DGA station in Karavang and reared to fingerling size, and the cost of a fingerling is estimated to be Rp 200/ tail.
Jatilnuhur was stocked more intensely because as at current the fishing community is better organised (6 committees), compared to Cirata.
A scheme is being introduced that the fishers societies collect Rp1000/kg of milkfish caught and these funds be used for purchase of fingerling in the second-year-around; the DGA wishes to encourage the practice
Conflicts: young milkfish enters cage nets and the cage farmers use these catches; the conflict is being resolved by reaching agreement with cage farmers to release such catches into the reservoir

Stakeholder Meeting (20 August 2008)
50,000 milkfish fingerlings were stocked in Jatilnuhur; discussions with the Chair and Treasurer of the Fishery organization
Stakeholder Meeting; presentations made by the project team;

In spite of the delay the Indonesian counterparts has proceeded with important components of the project. The key areas of progress have been:
Appointment of research Assistants for monitoring of co-management activities in Cirata and Jatilnuhur reservoirs
Hiring of four extension workers by the Directorate of Fisheries for monitoring the re-stocking program of the reservoirs
Preparation of draft co-management strategy document and dissemination of it amongst farmers and fishers in the two reservoirs