Fishermen On Lanjukang Island And Makassar Langkai Strengthen Marine Management Rights

Illustration of one of the fishermen from Langkai Island who showed the results of octopus catch with the above size on average after the system opened and closed octopus confinement in the Makassar Strait area. BETWEEN

MAKASSAR - Fishermen from Lanjukang Island and Langkai Island in Sangkarrang District, Makassar City have strengthened marine management rights through the Octopus Arrest Opening System in the last four years.

"The initiatives of local communities on the two islands through the system of opening and closing octopus catch areas show that the community can play a strategic role in maintaining sea sustainability," said Acting Head of Makassar Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center (BPSPL) of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, A. Muhammad Ishak Yusma in Makassar, Saturday.

He said, in addition to maintaining sustainability or marine conservation, he also fought for the right to his living space. Therefore, various parties expressed their commitment to overseeing the recognition and protection of the right to governance.

According to him, his party is ready to oversee the recognition and protection of the rights of local communities on Langkai Island and Lanjukang.

"We, from the Ministry together with the South Sulawesi provincial government, in this case the Marine and Fisheries Service, are ready to oversee the open and close program. As we have emphasized, this will be included and recognized in the conservation area management plan," said Ishak.

He considered that the practice of both fishermen on the two islands could be an example and role models to be applied in various other regions. So, this model should be adaptable or an example of management for other regions, especially in octopus capture.

Ishak appreciated the efforts made by fishermen to consistently maintain the catch in a sustainable manner. According to him, the open and close system for catching octopuses that is applied targets 3 important aspects, namely ecology, economy, and social.

"With this open-close, coral reefs will be better. In addition, it also provides opportunities for octopuses to develop and maintain biodiversity in biological sources," he said.

The implementation of the open and close system for catching octopuses is also carried out by deliberation for consensus involving fishermen. According to Ishak, this is the right thing to consistency and protection of open and close that is applied.

Meanwhile, Makassar City Fisheries Extension Officer Asniwati said there was a positive impact received by fishermen economically after the implementation of opening and closing octopus capture.

Based on production data before the system opened and closed, only 1 kg were arrested once, even then for grade a it was very rare to obtain. After opening and closing, there was an increase. This should be used as motivation, because the economy automatically increases.

The Executive Director of YKL Indonesia, Nirwan Dessibali, said that in the midst of the weak recognition of the tenural rights of local communities in coastal areas, the people of Langkai Island and Lanjukang showed extraordinary initiatives through the Pasubuntuki Forum.

Through a community-based conservation approach, continued the two island fishermen's companion, this Forum fights for the right to a sustainable living space and marine management area.

"Without legal recognition of fishing areas and governance, the public does not have a solid basis to protect their living areas from illegal and destructive fishing activities carried out by fishermen from outside the island," he said.

Therefore, he said, this is where the importance of tentural rights which includes access rights, benefits, control, enforcement, and regional transformation as the basis for recognition and protection.