Fishery resources management institution of the “Lelang Lebak Lebung” and fishing community poverty

Abstract

Institutional management of open water fisheries resources "lelang lebak lebung" has an important role in the utilization of open water fishery resources (lebak lebung) in South Sumatra. Institutionalization has been being practiced since the establishment of clan government. The institution was gradually changed since the Governor of South Sumatra delegates the authority to manage such the resource to the Regencial adminidtration level or even to the district administration level. This study aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of institutional management of open water fisheries resources "lelang lebak lebung" during the period of clan goverment and in the period of district administration. The study was also assessed the impact of the institution practices on the condition of open water fishery resources and the poverty of fishing communities. This research was considered a field of sociology with the study focus on institutional, open water fishery resources and fishing communities. A case study method was used in this study. Data collection were carried out during the period July to December 2009. Primary data were collected through interview method. Interviews were conducted using both structured and unstructured questionnaires and guided by the data subject. Data were analyzed qualitatively. Result of the study showed that the institutional management of fisheries resources practiced in the study site is less effective than the prevailing institutional during the clan governance. These, in turn, will impact on fostering degradation rate of the open water fishery resources. This situation resulted on declining a high economic value fish caught and growing dominance of low economic value fish caught by fishers. Finally, these accumulated conditions will cause poverty within fishing communities which indicating by lower income from fishing and higher food consumption on fishermen household. Policy recommendation can be drawn from this study is to develop an institutional enabling to eliminate the negative impact of an auction practiced so that conserve the resources and fishing communities prosperity can be ensured.

Perairan umum lebak lebung (PULL) di Sumatera Selatan (Sumsel) merupakan penghasil ikan air tawar utama bagi kebutuhan masyarakat. Hak usaha penangkapan ikan di PULL ini diatur dengan sistem pelelangan yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah setempat dan telah berlangsung sejak lama, dan dikenal dengan nama ”lelang lebak lebung”. Namun demikian, pada saat ini kelembagaan tersebut lebih diarahkan untuk meningkatkan Pendapatan Aasli Daerah (PAD) daripada untuk kepentingan masyarakat nelayan. Padahal, di lain pihak, usaha penangkapan ikan di PULL tersebut merupakan sumber mata pencaharian utama bagi masyarakat nelayan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi dan menganalisis efektifitas kelembagaan pengelolaan sumberdaya perikanan “lelang lebak lebung” pada masa pemerintahan Marga dan masa pemerintahan kabupaten dalam kaitannya dengan akses masyarakat nelayan terhadap sumberdaya perikanan PULL. Kemudian, memahami dan menganalisis terjadinya degradasi kondisi sumberdaya perikanan PULL dan kemiskinan masyarakat nelayan dalam kaitannya dengan perubahan kelembagaan pengelolaan sumberdaya perikanan “lelang lebak lebung” pada masa pemerintahan Marga dan Kabupaten. Akhirnya, mencari alternatif kelembagaan pengelolaan sumberdaya perikanan PULL yang dibangun oleh masyarakat dengan fasilitasi Pemerintah Desa yang pro rakyat, dapat diakses masyarakat nelayan dengan mudah dan murah, serta mampu mempertahankan kelestarian sumber daya perikanan PULL. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian sosiologi dengan bidang kajian kelembagaan, sumberdaya perikanan perairan umum lebak lebung (PULL) dan masyarakat nelayan. Kasus penelitian ini yaitu kelembagaan pengelolaan sumberdaya perikanan lelang lebak lebung di wilayah Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ilir, Sumatera Selatan, dan perubahannya sejak awal terbentuk hingga saat dilakukannya penelitian ini. Kelembagaan pengelolaan sumberdaya perikanan yang dipedomani dalam pemanfaatan sumberdaya perikanan PULL ini adalah Perda No. 9 Tahun 2005 tentang Lelang Lebak Lebung di wilayah Kabupaten OKI, Sumatera Selatan beserta perubahan dan keterkaitannya.