SUMMARY
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Capital from Nature
Indonesia
is one of the most important tuna production centers of the world. Sadly,
Indonesia’s tuna fisheries face an array of challenges. Data and
recommendations in this report may serve as a basis for a comprehensive tuna
management plan for Indonesia based on Fishery Management Areas, geographic
units at a seascape scale that facilitate ecosystem-based management of fishing
grounds.
Key Results of the Study
I.
Filling the Gaps: Making Correct Management Decisions
Shortcomings
in the current data collection system have made it difficult to produce an
accurate
assessment of tuna stocks—A vital component in making appropriate policy
decisions.
Recommendations to make tuna fisheries stock assessment-ready include:
Expanding
the coverage of data collection sites and improving data collection forms to
include new sets of information (e.g., species information, fi shing gear
types); hiring and training more qualified personnel; utilizing web-based
support for fast and efficient exchange of information; developing and
implementing observer programs; nurturing a critical mass of fisheries science
capacity in the country; and investing in tuna research.
II.
Shifting Seascapes: Responding to Changing Fishing Patterns
The
Indonesian tuna fisheries are currently undergoing dramatic changes that have
crucial
implications
in the context of management, investment, and policy. Such changes include:
Changes
in species composition; changes in sectoral roles wherein the small scale tuna
fishing sector has become the major supplier of tunas; and fleet structure,
brought about by consumer demands, operational costs, and economic downturns.
In order to respond to such changes and keep them from spiraling out of
control, effective regulations have to be developed and implemented.
III. A
Larger Playing Field: Being Globally Competitive
Staying
at par with global players in the industry entails improving market access,
doing away with harmful subsidies to the tuna industry (e.g., fuel, fi shing
boats), which exacerbate the already high levels of fi shing intensity,
addressing post-harvest losses; and rationalizing tuna exports by improving
production processes and coming out with high-quality and innovative products.
IV.The
Ripple Effect: Keeping Ecological Impacts in Check
To date,
tuna fisheries undermine the ocean’s ecological integrity through unregulated
by-catch (accidental catch of non-target species), unmanaged bait fisheries
(which affects populations of other species), and unregulated fishing of tuna
stocks. Keeping ecological impacts in check means having to maintain healthy
stocks of baitfish by: setting policies and guidelines on the use of baitfish,
applying precautionary measures wherein issuance of fishing licenses depend on
the availability and status of bait fish stock; and looking into other species
as an alternative source of bait fish. Reducing the amount of by-catch of
non-target species such as turtles means promoting the use of circle hooks to
longline fishing fleets, training crew members in proper de-hooking and
handling of turtles to ensure high survival rates upon release, and avoiding as
much as possible fishing in areas with high turtle abundance. The fate of
yellowfin and bigeye tunas depends on how fishing of juveniles is addressed.
Achieving this means regulating the use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) that
attract juvenile tunas, as well as developing fishing practices where the
species composition of fish aggregated around a FAD is identified before a decision
to set the net is made.
Roadmap to Sustainable Tuna Trade in
Indonesia
Stocks of
tuna in many areas within the territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of
the
country have declined as indicated by trends in total catch and decline in
catch rates. The
current
level of tuna management falls short of ensuring sustainability of tuna stocks
and the
conservation
of bait fish fisheries. The roadmap to sustainable tuna trade depicts a set of
short-term
and long-term goals designed to achieve sustainable trade in about 10 years or
less.
The Journey Begins: Steps towards a
Sustainable Tuna Trade
We
recommend a plan towards sustainable tuna fisheries that comprises the
following steps:
- Make tuna fisheries Ecosystem-based Management (EBM) compliant, following a triple bottom line approach: optimizing ecological, economic, and socio-cultural benefits.
- Indonesia should actively participate and push for reforms in at least 3 regional management organizations. Indonesia is a powerful tuna producing country and can use these regional organizations to provide technical capacity and logistical support to fund many of the reforms needed.
- Make tuna exports and products internationally competitive by reducing or eliminating wastage in tuna fishing as a result of poor post harvest handling, improving services supporting export, and encouraging research and development for new tuna products.
- Provide an investment climate conducive for supporting well-planned tuna development. This entails improving the brand name of Indonesia in the world market, removing or eliminating harmful subsidies that create monopolies, and addressing corruption issues.
- Lay down the foundation to change consumer consumption behavior through advocacy and communications campaigns.
Towards the Finish Line: Sustaining
the Vision
EBM can
contribute to a sustainable tuna trade in the near future. Implementation of
better
practices
is a continuing process that depends on adaptive management. This means relying
on solid
science to support decision making, as well as sharing domestic experiences
with the
region.
Indonesia can become a major decision maker in regional fishery management
organizations,
and could form coalitions with its neighbors for reforms. Should Indonesia
succeed
in reforming its international trade and fishery management practices, the
country
could
utilize its influence to complement the resource management of other countries
in the
region.
