On some boats, the crew get their share of the money as soon as the fish are sold. On other
boats, earnings are paid out at six-monthly intervals. As the crewmembers may change on
each trip, this requires good record-keeping and a large degree of trust. Crew with urgent
needs can ask for advance pay, for instance, at Christmas and New Year. In one case we
recorded, each crewmember received only Rp240,000 from six months work (Seri seine fishery,
1997). If a boat catches more than a tonne in one trip, there may be a daily bonus of Rp50,000
divided among the crew. There is no annual bonus for the crew, but there may be for the
captain. With incomes so marginal and directly dependent on catch rates, there is clearly a
strong incentive for fishers to work hard to maximize the catch.
The ikan makan (food fish), usually 1-4 baskets of fish depending on the season, are divided
equally among the crew. Our informants estimated that food fish for one crew member could
be sold for Rp15,000-Rp60,000 (USD6-USD24, early 1997 rate), depending on the season. This
is the daily income to support the fisher’s family. As well as the ikan makan, there are also ikan
tacucu. These are the fish that are not enclosed by the purse seine or that jump out, and may
be caught and kept by any crew member.
5.2.5 Pole and line
Pole and line boat owners face capital costs and fees similar to those of seiner operators, but
they must also pay for bait. Baitfish suppliers bill boat owners on a weekly basis. The cost in
1997 was Rp2,000 (USD0.8) per pail as well as 10% of the catch. The pole and line boats often
find it difficult to get sufficient baitfish. Boats operating out of Nolloth in 1997 were reputed
to catch over 100 tonnes of skipjack per month, with catches of 3-4 tonnes per day not being
unusual. Export quality fish sold for Rp2400 per kg in February 1998.
The pole and line boats typically go out twice a week on three-day trips, unloading fish at the
Tulehu or Masohi cold storage facilities. Fishing takes place throughout central and northern
Maluku. The profit (i.e., after paying for bait etc.) obtained from the catch is divided into two
portions: 70% for the boat owner and 30% for the captain and crew. The crew’s share is
divided as follows: two shares each to the captain, bait throwers and motor tenders and one
share each for the other crew. Additional shares may be set aside for the village government,
church and charities in the home port.
There are often extra incentives to catch as many fish as possible. One respondent explained a
current system wherein pole and line fishers in 1997 earned a bonus of Rp50,000 a tonne if the
boat’s daily catch was above three tonnes. Each year, the crewmen also receive a Christmas
bonus of cookies, butter, milk, sugar and flour. If the boat harvests over 200 tonnes in the year,
the captain gets a bonus of Rp2 million, which he shares with his best workers and helpers.
5.2.6 Lift nets (bagans)
Lift nets consist of an anchored floating platform equipped with lamps and fine mesh lift nets
(see Figure 5.1). The capital investment in 1997 was in the order of Rp3.5 million for a small
lift net, sized 11 m x 11 m. Larger commercial lift nets, which cost up to Rp5 million prior to
the currency collapse, cost Rp10 million in 1998 (Muhammad Saleh, pers. comm. 1998).
According to one owner in Tuhaha, gross income from his share of the catch on one lift net
ranges from Rp100,000-Rp1.5 million per month, while costs (kerosene, lampwicks, matches,
maintenance etc.) usually total Rp400,000 a month.
52 An Institutional Analysis of Sasi Laut in Maluku, Indonesia