Haruku’s marine territory is a patchy mixture of sea grass beds, sand and patches of corals.
The sasi area for pelagic fish capture runs along the coast from the village meeting hall (Baileo)
to the kewang house near the mouth of the Learisa Kayeli river. Along this stretch of coast, the
bottom is predominantly sand and sea grass. It is in the Learisa Kayeli river that the lompa
fish (Thryssa baelama spp.) are caught when sasi lompa is open.
The outermost edge of the sasi area in the sea is a coral fringe. The idea of expanding sasi to
cover top shells (Trochus Niloticus) and sea cucumbers in the rocky area near the fringing
coral reef is currently under discussion. The size of these resources has not been estimated.
The purpose would not be commercial, but in the first instance, it would serve simply to
prevent people from taking these species so that their populations could recover.
Since about 1992, a mining consortium has been exploring the Haruku area and has determined
that the island contains an ore body rich in copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold. Although
stating that they would not go into exploitation because this would mean the mass removal
of population, exploration, nevertheless, has continued and there are fears among many
villagers that eventually, a mine will go ahead and they will lose their land.
11.1.2 Biological characteristics
Most Haruku fishers target either pelagic fish exclusively (43%), or both pelagic fish and reef
fish (43%). Fifteen species of pelagic fish and 10 reef fish were recorded as commonly caught
(see Appendix 3). In addition, fishers target squid, sea urchins, and two types of shellfish.
Since 1995, fish catches in Haruku have declined dramatically. The respondents perceived an
overall drop of 30% in fish catches over the past 15 years, and they expect a further decline of 17%
in the future. Also, the state of the marine environment has declined significantly during this
period. Motorboats allow the fishers to go out further to fish and the use of modern techniques
increases fish catches; however, the fishers agreed that these introductions are a major threat to
the fishery. The increasing numbers of nets and lift nets cause fish catches to decline.
Our biological survey has shown that the corals are in poor to moderate condition. Blast fishing
and the use of toxins destroy the coral reefs and are mainly used by intruders from other villages,
particularly from Rohomoni which lies to the north. The negative effects are aggravated by the
mine exploration activities that seem to cause sedimentation of the coral reef patches near the
mouth of the Learisa Kayeli river, and pollution which reduces the water quality.
Illustrative of the decline in resources is the trend in lompa fish harvests in the Learisa Kayeli river.
Reduced yields have been occurring more frequently. When a lift net operating near the mouth of
the Learisa Kayeli river over-fished the stock, the opening of sasi lompa had to be abandoned in
the years 1993-94. Fishers also report that the number of fishers harvesting when sasi lompa is
open has increased. This happened when, after his visit in 1986, Emil Salim, the Minister of
Environment, invited everybody to join the “famous” lompa fishery. Some fishers, therefore, believe
that their decreased catches are related to the greater degree of competition.
In 1997, the season was exceptionally poor. Early in the season, as usual, the lompa fish were
spotted in the sea and sasi was closed. After a while, the fish vanished never to return. It was
generally blamed on the high water temperature as an effect of El Nino. Others, however,
blamed it on the water pollution caused by the mine. As of today, no research has been carried
out to determine whether the fish stocks are affected by pollution or whether reduced yields
are climate or effort-related impacts.
122 An Institutional Analysis of Sasi Laut in Maluku, Indonesia