The fishers have, on an average, 6.8 household members. Children that have left the village
have gone for work, and less often to school or to be married. Almost 30% of the fisher households
in our sample have an externally derived income of, on average, Rp343,500 (USD137, early
1997 rate) per year. The standard of housing in Haruku was relatively low. A third had type 4
housing (cement with zinc roof), while the others had wooden or gaba-gaba (palm) houses.
The economic indicators, made up of adding scores for land ownership, boat type, house and
gear, averaged 8.3 (with a standard error of 0.42). This puts Haruku into the middle third of
all the 28 villages in the performance study. When TV ownership is factored in, the score
becomes 8.7, leaving Haruku (with Nolloth and Seri) in the lower half of the case study villages.
Most respondents are land owners (83%), but, on an average, 66% of the family income is
from fishing. The fishers were highly experienced. The average number of years the men had
spent fishing was 30. They spend on average 8 hours at sea each day, with 6-10 hours being
most common. Despite the long days at sea, the men were generally satisfied with their job.
Most men stated that they are used to fishing, but over 40% would change jobs if they could
find less strenuous work as a salesman, carpenter, mechanic, etc. Also for their children, the
majority preferred other jobs over fishing, with a strong preference for government positions.
11.3 Market Attributes
On an average, 26% of fish caught are eaten by the family. Seven fishers from our sample of
thirty eat more than half of their catch. Seven others do not eat any of the fish they catch. A
large part (70%) of fish sales is direct to consumers, mostly in the local market. The fisher or
his wife usually sets the price. The rest reaches larger markets, e.g., Ambon, through
wholesalers or through female fish vendors (papaleles). The key factors in choosing the point
of sale are proximity of the market and the price paid for the fish.
11.3.1 Local fish trade
Besides fish, Haruku women trade all sorts of products such as sago, bread, fruits, etc. Many women
have husbands who work as fisher-farmers so they sell the family’s harvests. The price of fish is set
by the female fish trader, not by the harvester. There are no credit or debt relations between the
female fish traders and their providers. Currently in Haruku, there is a group of female fish vendors
who is assisted in its business through financial capital from the Masohi Fisheries Service in Seram.
11.3.2 Commercial small-scale trade
Trade with other villages and a town is largely in the hands of local female retailers. Their long
years of experience (15-20 years) provide them with a fine nose for marketing. Fish of all kinds
of types and sizes are bought locally or from fishers from other villages (from Tulehu, Waai and
Mamala on Ambon or from Rohomoni on Haruku). The fisher usually will have an arrangement
with a particular retailer. The small-scale traders (papalele) go as far as Oma, Tulehu and Ambon
to sell the fish. When fish are scarce in Haruku, they bring them back from these markets.
Regional markets (e.g., Masohi on Seram) provide the highest profits to the fish traders, up to
150-200%. Now that fish have become scarcer, the prices, compared to the 1980s, have
increased. The consumer’s preference for fish, however, has not changed.
Haruku fishers are not involved in any large-scale commercial fishery.
Desa Haruku and Sameth, Haruku Island 127