Women, generally, do not trade processed fish. During the fishing season, the women smoke or
salt the fish for consumption and sell the rest fresh. The marketing of fresh fish is sometimes
difficult. The fish are not transported using ice or anything to preserve them. Sometimes, the
means of transport are limited and by the time the women reach the market, the fish have
already lost freshness and the price goes down.
Other problems that the fish vendors face are related to the informal nature of the small-scale
fish trade. It is possible to buy or rent sales tables at the Ambon market but they cost Rp175,000
(USD76, based on the 1996 exchange rate) and renting is Rp7,500/month. The small-scale
vendors also pay Rp300/basket in market tax. Many women have unofficial market spaces,
but sometimes when they arrive at the market, they find that they are not allowed to use
them anymore. Other women lack capital, which hampers their marketing.
Despite these problems, marketing for women from Seri is relatively easy because of the proximity of the
market to fishing grounds. Improved transportation, fish processing and secure market spaces would
help the women to improve their situation. Generally, however, women are satisfied with their businesses.
14.3.2 Commercial fish trade
The boat owners have a choice of selling their catch directly to the pole and line fishers, to female
fish vendors, or taking it to a large trader (borok) who auctions the fish in the city of Ambon.
Many boat owners have a trade relation with a particular borok. For example, Sam Kalahatu, a
purse seine captain from Seri, sells his fish either via a trader called “La Obe” or straight to the
cold store in Tulehu for eventual export. The trader pays the boat owner the net revenues from
selling the catch minus 10%, which is the payment for his services. This transaction is based on
trust. There is no written contract, and once a borok is proven to cheat, he will be dismissed from
this service. The advantage to the fisher is that he has a steady market and although the prices
in Ambon fluctuate, they are usually higher than those at the fish factory. For example, at the
cold store he will get only Rp20,000 per basket of momar (Decaptherus macrosoma), about half the
retail market price. At the same time, the trader is also assured of a supply of fish. If both
parties follow their unwritten obligations, the relation can function for years.
The fish from Seri are sold through the following channels:
1. Directly to long line boats as baitfish.
2. Through the fishers’ wives who act as vendors and sell fish directly to consumers at
home or at the local market.
3. Through other small-scale traders who bring them to the Passo market or Ambon.
4. Through a large-scale trader (borok) who auctions the fish at the Ambon market.
5. To the cold store in Tulehu (Sumber Aneka Tata Bahari).
6. To the PT Dharma Samudera, a fish company in Ambon (for larger quantities).
7. The fish can be directly sold to the Mina Raya V, a large trawler that transports the
product to Bali.
14.4 Community Institutional and Organizational Arrangements
Seri was chosen as a representative of a non-sasi village. The village headman explained: “Before,
when the population size of Seri was still small, there was marine sasi. Now, there are too many
people and it became difficult for the dusun government to control the sasi area.” Sasi is not
functioning anymore as a village level institution, but some remnants of sasi are still present.
Dusun Seri, Desa Urimesing, Ambon Island 185