10.5 External Institutional and Organizational Arrangements
The external institutional and organizational arrangements are the linkages between the village
(government) and outside political organizations or government structures, and other external agencies.
Link with higher government bodies
The link with external government agencies is tenuous. Apart from the family visits from a
sub-district representative, government officials are rarely encountered in the village. Neither
have there been any meetings nor workshops related to marine resource management
organized by higher government levels. The village head meets every three months in Saparua
Kota with other village authorities to exchange information. Fisheries issues, however, are
not discussed here. Fisheries regulations are not a high priority in the village; people are
more concerned about developing the fishery. Besides, there is no government assistance for
monitoring and there is no patrol boat for enforcement. Where the village head is concerned,
the most reliable sources of information on fisheries regulations, besides the radio and TV,
are the Ambon-based NGO Yayasan Hualopu, and friends in the university.
Links between the community and government fisheries management
The regional Fisheries Agency (Dinas Perikanan Tingkat II Maluku Tengah) is involved only in
licensing the pole and line boats, which are licensed for two years at a time. The fisheries
officers deal only with the boat owners. They have no contact with the crew, and do not give
out information to them or make inquiries concerning the fishery.
Collaboration with other institutions
Yayasan Hualopu has carried out an extension program in Nolloth that aimed to inform people
on customary laws and sustainable resource use. They also assisted with the current evaluation
of management activities. In the past, information on marine issues and on marketing
possibilities of other marine products was provided through their publication “Marinyo”.
External economic influences
The decline in clove prices in the 1990s had a negative influence on the village income.
Consequently, fishery and the trade in top shells and sea cucumbers became more important.
When in February 1998, the government’s monopoly on cloves was lifted, it initially had a
positive impact on the clove price but later in the year, this was nullified by low harvests due
to the drought. The full effect of the monetary crisis is not yet known (1998).
Infrastructure and development projects
There are no major constructions in or around the village. Within the village, there are small-
scale development projects (infrastructure, small enterprises). In the sea, there are plans to
establish sea cucumber aquaculture.
Desa Nolloth, Saparua Island 111