Pelagic fish are attracted to the lift net lights at night. Catches are shared between the owner
and the lift net crew and helpers (perhaps 10-20 persons in total depending on the size of the
lift net). One-third or one-half goes to the lift net owner; the rest is divided among the lamp
crew and the net crew. The net crew portion is divided evenly among the workers (sometimes
including the owner). The owner keeps everyone’s money and hands it out periodically.
Therefore, just as in the seiner fishery, crew income from the lift net fishery is proportional to
catch rate and this promotes intensive effort.
Lift nets and to a lesser extent, seiners, are the primary sources of baitfish for the pole and
line boats. Usually, baitfish are sold by the bucket for a fixed price (Rp2,000 in 1997) plus 10%
of the catch realized from that bait. The price of baitfish sold to pole and line vessels by lift
net operators rose during the study period, from Rp2,000-Rp3,500 per bucket. The relationship
between suppliers and buyers is based on trust that the pole and line captain will report the
catch accurately and the boat owner will remit the payment (in cash or fish) to the lift net or
seine owner. Cash payments may be made weekly or monthly. In peak fishing seasons,
when pole and line boats are catching tonnes of skipjack everyday, payments to the bait fishers
can be substantial. The general shortage of baitfish in certain seasons no doubt helps to keep
the pole and line operators honest, as they dare not risk losing their bait suppliers. The one
known exception to the above system is the company called Usaha Mina, which pays a flat
rate of Rp5,000 per bucket for baitfish without handing over any percentage of the catch.
5.3 Market Systems for Artisanal, Small-Scale and Commercial Fisheries
5.3.1 Fish landing sites and flow to markets in the study area
Fishers in the study area sell their catch in either their village marketplace or in a regional
center. Officially recorded landings indicate that about 40% of fish caught goes to markets
outside Maluku. However, because of trans-shipment and illegal fishing, the actual percentage
is higher. Caught fish that are destined for regional, national or international markets mostly
flow through the following centers:
• Tulehu on Ambon Island, the site of a fish processing and export factory, which receives
fish from the entire region.
• Toisapu on Ambon Island, close to several other fish processing factories.
• Seri and Eri on Ambon Island, where fish are landed from the rich pelagic purse seine
and lift net fishery off southeastern Ambon Island.
• Masohi, the largest town on Seram Island, which receives fish caught around Seram as
well as from artisanal and commercial boats operating around the Lease Islands.
• Amahai on Seram, close to Masohi, where there is a processing factory.
• Ambon city, which is the provincial capital and main regional marketplace and is fed
by Tulehu, Seri, and other smaller ports as well as Ambon Harbor landings.
Other smaller landing sites, such as Hitu on Ambon’s north shore and Saparua town on Saparua
Island, generally service local and other village markets. Artisanal and small-scale fishers
may use either local or regional landing sites depending on the volume of fish caught, access
to affordable transportation and market price. Commercial operators offloading larger
volumes of fish are more likely to be attached to a particular landing site and market.
The Fisheries and Fish Markets of Central Maluku 53