Artisanal and small commercial fishers
The artisanal and small-scale fishing grounds include the village marine territory of Nolloth
and neighboring villages of Itawaka, Ouw and Ulath, as well as waters as far away as Nusa
Laut, southern Seram and the Banda Islands (see Figure 1). Fishers do not necessarily go to
sea everyday; it depends on weather and what other work is to be done on land. If fishing is
close to home, fishers may go to sea several times a day and spend a couple of hours fishing
each trip. If they head further out, they can be gone for 24 hours or more.
Catches vary greatly depending on gear type, species, weather and season. For the inshore
pelagic fishery, the year is divided as follows: moderate seas in January-April with small
catches; huge waves during May-September with hardly any fishing; seas are calm from
October-December and catches large. On a good trip, a small-scale net fisher working with
several helpers might bring two to four baskets of fish to shore. Depending on the species
and size, a basket could hold 50-150 fish. The catch is divided according to long established
tradition, with one-third going to the owner of the boat and net, two-thirds going to the other
crew of up to four fishers. If the fish is caught at Nolloth, each man gets his share of fresh fish.
If caught elsewhere and sold, they split the money. The boat/gear owner covers any expenses
(gas for the motor, repairs). His profit is in the order of Rp30,000-Rp50,000 per fishing trip
(USD12-USD20, early 1997 rate).
The costs for net fishers have risen dramatically in recent years. The price of some types of
netting and nylon line and buoys has increased two to five-fold. Nets can last ten years but
must be repaired three to four times a year. Before the currency crisis pushed prices up again
in 1998, a longboat suitable for net fishing cost Rp5.5 million (± USD2,200), and a motor,
Rp1.3 million (± USD520).
In spite of the increased difficulty in catching fish, most fishers see no reason for concern.
Generally, the trend in fishing is still towards intensification and fishing techniques have
increased both in number and in effectiveness (smaller mesh sizes, change to nylon nets).
Rather than limiting their fishing, fishers compete over the fish and wish to have faster boats.
The younger generation is apparently optimistic and would like to take up fishing. They
explained that they fish with the same fishing methods used by older people from whom
they learn to fish, but “with some improvements towards the modern methods”.
Large-scale commercial fishers
Presently, there are seven large-scale, motorized pole and line boats operating from Nolloth.
Each boat employs 25-30 fishers who are employed locally and learn “on the job”. Their
income is significantly higher than that of the artisanal fishers who, with their small outrigger
boats, get at most 20 kg/day. Only one of the boats is owned by a family from Nolloth. The
others are owned by Ambonese and Tulehu businessmen who have been active in the area
since the 1980s. According to the village head, the commercial fishers prefer to operate from
Nolloth because the Nolloth crew are skilled and honest. The boats spend Saturday nights
and Sundays in Nolloth. On Sunday nights, they leave again to pick up baitfish in Pia or
nearby Tuhaha, or from lift nets and seiners near Ambon or another island.
The economic benefits from the large-scale pole and line fishery are significant. The village
does not collect any formal fees from the boats, but accepts “voluntary” contributions. The boat
owner gives one share of the total catch to the church in Nolloth, half a share to local widows
and orphans, and half a share to the village government and others who are helpful. The total
98 An Institutional Analysis of Sasi Laut in Maluku, Indonesia