By: Munawir (Capture Fisheries Officer, WWF-Indonesia)

Located within the world's coral reef triangle, Indonesia's seas are rich in a variety of marine life such as fish and coral reefs. Not surprisingly, Indonesia is one of the largest fish producers in the world, including reef fish. As a strategic commodity, reef fishing is one of the most common activities undertaken by our fishermen. Including by the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group in Lanna Hamlet, Galesong District, Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi.

There is something unique about this group of 31 Makassar tribe fishermen. Unlike other Takalar fishermen who use a variety of fishing gear, the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group focuses on using basic longlines to catch reef fish - from sunfish to grouper.

Over the past three years, accompanied by WWF-Indonesia and Yayasan Mattirosi, a fisheries development acceleration organization, the Lanna Perdana Group has begun to improve reef fishing practices. The goal is that reef fish resources can be utilized sustainably, in order to improve the welfare of fishermen.

Through the JARNUS (Jaringan Kerja Perikanan Bertanggung Nusantara) scheme, the fisheries improvement program in Lanna Hamlet includes an initial assessment of fishing practices, followed by the preparation of an action plan for improving fishing practices through the FIP (Fisheries Improvement Program) scheme which refers to the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) standard.

Guided by the action plan that has been developed, the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group is trained on how to catch and handle reef fish that are environmentally friendly, in accordance with the BMP (Better Management Practices) guidelines that have been compiled by WWF-Indonesia.

In overseeing this program, monitoring is also carried out to assess the success of program implementation and evaluate future improvements. On December 17-18, 2016, Mattirotasi Foundation and WWF-Indonesia conducted an assessment of the level of compliance (ccompliance) of reef fishing practices by the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group by referring to the BMP standard.

This assessment was conducted using direct interview method to fishermen members. The assessment includes aspects of legality, conservation aspects, social and group aspects, and product quality aspects. The assessment results show that the level of compliance of fishing practices, especially reef fish, with the improvement program that has been prepared is 53.74%.

This group of fishermen still needs to improve the compliance aspects of fishing legality and permits, such as the registration of their fleet and fishing gear. In addition, the recording of catches as well as the size of catchable fish are things that need to be prioritized in future improvement programs.

What deserves a thumbs up from the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group is their concern not to catch protected species such as sea turtles. "The community believes that catching turtles can bring bad luck to the fishermen who catch them. Plus, government regulations have also contributed to changes in the practice of catching protected species," said Daeng Lau, a member of the Lanna Perdana Fishermen Group.

By looking at the aspects that have not been met, the assistance program can be narrowed down and made a priority for improvement. Of course, by keeping other aspects that have been appropriate to be maintained - even, improved. Thus, the goal of preserving coral fisheries can be realized.