4 housing (cement with zinc roof). For Seri, the indicator is 8.6 (with a standard error of 0.25),
which is in the middle of the 27 villages (Appendix 2). If TV ownership is added, Seri scores
8.8, one of the three lower scores for the case study villages (Appendix 3).
The fishers are highly satisfied with their job. They are free and happy when they are at sea,
and it gives a good income. For some, it is also frustrating and difficult to be a fisher. The Seri
fishers had the strongest tendency to change jobs if they could find a better alternative (54%).
They wanted to be independent, have less physical labor and an easier job. Only 4% want
their children to be fishers. The best alternative for them, according to their fathers, was to
become government staff. However, compared to other villages, the options and alternatives
mentioned were more varied, e.g., tradesman, worker in the city.
14.3 Market Attributes
Artisanal fishers in Seri sell about half of their catch directly to local consumers. None of the
fishers eat more than half of their catch but all eat some. On an average, 22% of the fish
caught are eaten by the family. Most of the fish are sold in the city of Ambon (93%), the rest
are sold to female fish traders.
14.3.1 Local fish trade
Small-scale fish trade is mainly in the hands of women. Before, when there were no asphalt
roads, the women had to walk to the Ambon market. At that time, not many women in Seri
were involved in trading. But now that the infrastructure has improved, markets have become
more accessible. The demand for fish has also increased, and most men work full-time on
their boats. Improved fishing techniques such as purse seines have increased yields. There is
thus enough work and the wives and daughters of the fishers are now becoming more and
more involved in the processing and selling of fish.
The number of traders has increased rapidly from about 15 in the 1980s to more than 40
currently. Anyone is free to trade fish. Besides the local vendors, there are Butonese and people
from Eri, Airlow and Latuhalat who come to Seri to buy fish. A fishing boat from Mahia is
active in Seri waters and the fishers catch their fish in Seri. In the eastern monsoon season,
fish are caught in Eri.
Most female vendors buy their fish directly from the fishing boats; others sell the fish caught
by their husbands and sons. In most cases (69%), the fisher or his wife sets the price. The
women base their price on information from larger fish traders and wholesalers, or on the
price of fish traded the day before.
If the vendor does not have enough money to pay for the fish right away, she sells the fish first
before paying the fisher. This arrangement requires trust and, therefore, it is easier if the transactions
happen between relatives and friends. On days no fish are caught, the fish vendor needs credits
from other people. She repays them according to the fish price on the market. All these arrangements
are informal. Generally, however, the transactions are well managed and cause no problems.
For the women, the main market is Ambon. Others take fish to villages on the island, e.g., Latuhalat,
Eri, and Amahusu, or sell them to another vendor (papalele) or to the fish factory. The key factor in
choosing the point of sale is price, closely followed by family or other social connections.
184 An Institutional Analysis of Sasi Laut in Maluku, Indonesia