The scorching heat of the day and the piercing cold of the night are no obstacles for a group of fishermen to fish with various fishing gear at sea. For most coastal areas in Indonesia, the role of small-scale fishers is very important in promoting the welfare of local communities. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia defines small-scale fishermen as fishermen who catch fish to fulfill their daily needs, both those who do not use fishing vessels and those who use fishing vessels with a cumulative size of at most 10 GT (Gross Tonnage).

Like other professions, the noble work of fishermen is also still regulated and supervised by the relevant authorities for the sake of resource management to remain sustainable in nature. In accordance with KEPMEN KP 58 of 2020, every fisherman who conducts capture fisheries business activities at sea has the obligation to have administrative completeness in the form of a Fisheries Business License (SIUP), Fishing License (SIPI), Fish Carrying Vessel License (SIKPI), Small Pass / Large Pass, and Fisheries Vessel Registration Certificate (TDKP) which are required as a permit to conduct fisheries business.

In order to support this responsible fisheries practice, on November 05-06, 2021, a Fisheries Improvement Service "Vessel Legality Administration" activity was carried out and attended by small-scale fishermen for Pelagic fish fisheries (Swallowfish, Tongkol, etc.) and also Reef/Demersal fish fisheries (Snapper, Grouper, etc.) in the West Pantar sub-district, all of which are part of the fisheries potential in the Pantar Strait SAP Regional Conservation Area, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. This activity is a collaboration between the Marine and Fisheries Service Branch Office (KCD KP) of NTT Province in the Alor Regency Region as the Unit Management Organization (SUOP) in the Regional Conservation Area (KKD) of the Pantar Strait Aquatic Nature Reserve (SAP) and its Surrounding Seas in collaboration with the Alor Regency Fisheries Service, the Class III Baranusa Port Operator Unit Office of the Ministry of Transportation, the West Pantar District Government, the Village Government, and the WWF Indonesia Foundation. This Fisheries Improvement Service activity is a form of support in increasing the effectiveness of the management of the Pantar Strait SAP MPA and its surrounding seas.

Completing Legality as Fishermen

In 2021, WWF Indonesia Foundation has facilitated the assessment of fisheries activities referring to coral reef fish BMPs in the Pantar Strait SAP MPA and its surrounding seas, especially in West Pantar District (5 villages of Baranusa, Baraler, Illu, Piring Sina, and Blangmerang). There are five categories of reef fish BMPs assessed, namely Groups, Capture Fisheries Regulations, Catching Operations, Handling "Shelter and Transportation", and Recording. The average result of the reef fish BMP assessment in the five villages of West Pantar Sub-district is 57.1 or at the Intermediate level (Beginner, Intermediate, and Main Levels). From this result, the five villages in West Pantar sub-district still need to improve their fisheries in reference to BMPs, especially in the categories of groups, regulations, and record keeping.

The follow-up after the BMP assessment is to provide fisheries improvement assistance for the completeness of fishing vessel legality such as Small Pass or Large Pass, Fishing Vessel Registration Certificate (TDKP), and Fishing Permit (SIPI) in West Pantar Sub-district, with complete legality documents in the Related BMPs BMP compliance with complete legality is needed as an effort to maintain ecosystems in coastal and marine areas as well as to prevent and tackle Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, which is a major threat to fisheries resources and is expected to improve the community's economy. Assistance activities for boat repair services in West Pantar Sub-district successfully facilitated 72 boats or 95% of a total of 76 boats (without counting sampan or canoe) to have legality in West Pantar Sub-district (BPS Kab Alor, 2021).

By completing this license, the fishing community of West Pantar Sub-district contributes to the process of monitoring and managing fisheries resources so that they remain sustainable in nature. In addition, fishermen who have completed their licenses can also be helped in the process of developing the fisheries business, from fishing activities, sales, to applying for credit to banks and cooperatives. "Fishermen already feel safer and more comfortable to fish in the sea with the completion of the Small Pass and TDKP documents. Even the fishing area can be farther," said Yamin Pito, one of the lampara (mini purse seine)fishermen community in Baranusa.

The Head of the KCD KP of NTT Province in the Alor Regency Region, Muhamad Saleh Goro, was present in this activity to provide direct services to the community through licensing documents and introduce the potential of fisheries resources in the Pantar Strait SAP MPA and the surrounding sea in KCD Teaching activities carried out in several schools (MAN 2 Alor and SMAN Baranusa) before the Fisheries Service Improvement activity took place.

In addition to the completeness of vessel legality documents, the process of managing fisheries resources in the Pantar Strait SAP MPA and the Surrounding Sea is also realized with the data collection of catches and the tradition of Hading Mulung applied by the Baranusa indigenous community around Lapang Island and Batang Island. Hading Mulung itself is an open-closed area system intended for the utilization of coastal resources in a fisheries management area.

The WWF Indonesia Foundation participated in this Fisheries Improvement Service activity by conducting socialization on various types of protected species as part of fisheries improvement efforts to reduce the level of capture of protected species. "The existence of Small Pass and Fishing Vessel Registration Certificate (TDKP) documents is important for fishermen in supporting fisheries practices in West Pantar District to contribute to conservation efforts by conducting environmentally friendly capture fisheries activities and preserving ETP (Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Species) species by releasing sea turtles, marine mammals and several types of sharks that are accidentally caught by fishermen," said Kusnanto as Site Coordinator of Alor Marine Protected Area (MPA) of WWF Indonesia Foundation.

In the implementation of sustainable fisheries in Indonesia, especially in the Pantar Strait SAP MPA and its surrounding sea, WWF Indonesia Foundation as a partner of the Unit Management Organization (SUOP) will improve fisheries in West Pantar Sub-district through mentoring efforts to fishing communities, training on good and environmentally friendly practices, optimizing catch data collection by fishermen, and identifying small-scale fisheries business chains in West Pantar Sub-district. With these improvements, environmental conservation efforts can go hand in hand with the welfare of coastal communities.