Sustainability of skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) fisheries in Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone (IEEZ) of Indian Ocean at Southern Coast of East Java

Abstract

Indonesian exclusive economic zone of Indian Ocean at southern coast of East Java includes in WPP-RI 573 which has potential biological resources to be utilized for economic development. Specific oceanographic condition has caused the regions relatively more fertile than other regions. An abundance fishery resources in the region is skipjack which has a sufficiently high economic value. Utilization rate of the species is assumed of being moderate thus enabling further increasing in its utilization. One type of fleet used to exploit skipjack resources in WPPRI 573 is sekoci boat based in PPP Pondokdadap, Malang Regency. The fleet number has showed a significant increase during 2001-2010. Size of the vessel includes in medium category and still uses traditional fishing gears (hand-line). Sekoci boat has been reliably used to catch fish at a distance of 50-200 miles, with catching period 8 to 12 months every year in areas fitted with a fish aggregating device. Research objectives were to analyze the conditions of oceanographic factors, skipjack stock biomass, linkages between oceanographic aspects and stock biomass, fisheries sustainability status on ecological, economic, technological, social and institutional dimensions, as well as management strategy of the fisheries through priorities setting based on multidimensional sustainability status. Research results showed that wind monsoon affected vertical and horizontal distribution of sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration. Distribution of those parameters during eastern monsoon favored the abundance of skipjack population compared to that in western monsoon. CPUE fluctuations trailed monsoon patterns, with higher values in the eastern monsoon than in the western monsoon. Fishing season peak occurred in July to October annually. During the eastern monsoon SST decreased while concentration of chlorophyll-a and CPUE values tended to increase. Contrary, during the western monsoon SST increased and chlorophyll-a concentration as well as and CPUE tended to decrease. Furthermore, sustainability index for each dimension indicated that ecological dimension included in sustainable category, followed by technological dimension in moderate category. Sustainability index of institutional, economic, and social dimensions included in less sustainable category with the lowest index on social dimension. Multidimensional index indicated that overall status of skipjack sustainability in IEEZ at southern coast of East Java was moderate which required arrangement of various sensitive attributes. Smart analysis result showed policy priorities for social dimension followed by institutional and economic dimensions. The highest score attributes of the dimensions were consecutively business ownership, enforcement of rules, and environmental awareness. Application of policy priorities would result in increases in sustainability index with higher values after application of the policy.