By: Buguh Tri Hardianto (Capture Fisheries Assistant for Reef Fish and Shrimp Commodities)

Based on the importance of sustainable and responsible fisheries resource utilization activities, JARING-Nusantara and PILANG (JARING-Nusantara members in Bali) in collaboration with the Bali Provincial Marine and Fisheries Office (DKP) and Buleleng Regency DKP agreed to conduct a Capture Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) and Aquaculture Improvement Program (AIP) in Buleleng Regency. The aim of the program is to create a fisheries management that takes into account the sustainability and environmental aspects of fisheries resource utilization activities in Buleleng Regency.

Buleleng Regency, which is located in the western part of Bali Island, is predominantly a coastal area. Therefore, the utilization of fisheries resources by the community in this location is quite large. This large level of utilization of fisheries resources can threaten the sustainability of fisheries resources and the environment if not carried out in a sustainable and responsible manner. With such utilization of fisheries resources, the sustainability of the livelihoods of coastal communities in Buleleng Regency will be guaranteed.

The first step in the Improvement Program for Capture and Aquaculture Fisheries in Buleleng Regency is to carry out socialization. The socialization event which was held on 26 April 2016 at Gerokgak Village Hall, Buleleng Regency was attended by 88 participants and involved many stakeholders involved in fisheries activities in Buleleng Regency. Starting from business actors, fishermen, Buleleng Coastal Fisheries Cultivators Association (P4B), local government (Diskanla), Bappeda, Environmental Agency, sub-district representatives, to law enforcement officials (representatives of the Navy and Gerogak Police). This socialization activity aims to inform the program that will be implemented and open space for all relevant stakeholders to provide input related to programs to improve capture fisheries and aquaculture in Buleleng Regency.

Recommendations and Plans Related to FIP and AIP in Buleleng Regency

From this socialization event, a formulation was produced in the implementation of the Capture and Aquaculture Improvement Program (FIP and AIP) in Buleleng Regency. The formulation will later be made into a letter of agreement agreed upon and signed by all stakeholders present. The points in the formulation include:

1. The local government of Buleleng Regency supports the implementation of FIP and AIP activities in Gerokgak Sub-district;
2. The local government of Buleleng Regency supports the implementation of FIP and AIP activities in Gerokgak Sub-district.
3. DKP Buleleng Regency together with JARING-Nusantara and PILANG will then form a team for the implementation of FIP and AIP in Gerokgak District. The team operates under the same banner, namely the Fisheries Improvement Collaboration Team;
4. Fishermen in Gerokgak Sub-district who are members of fishermen groups agree and are ready to implement the Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP);
5. Cultivators in Gerokgak Subdistrict who are members of a cultivator group agree and are ready to implement the AIP;
6. DKP Bali Province and DKP Buleleng Regency are willing to facilitate the implementation of FIP and AIP in Buleleng Regency.

As a follow-up to this socialization event of the Capture and Aquaculture Fisheries Improvement Program in Buleleng Regency, the fisheries improvement collaboration team consisting of members of JARING-Nusantara, PILANG, and DKP Buleleng Regency will conduct initial identification to obtain potential fishermen and aquaculture groups to be assisted as pilot projects. Once the potential fishermen and aquaculture groups are identified, an initial assessment of the fishermen and aquaculture practices will be conducted. The aim was to determine the gaps between the practices of the fishermen and fish farmers in Buleleng Regency and the principles of sustainable and responsible fisheries according to the FIP and AIP. The gaps from the results of the initial assessment will be used as the basis for the action plan of the Capture and Aquaculture Fisheries Improvement Program in Buleleng Regency. So that later the implementation of the Capture and Aquaculture Fisheries Improvement Program will be right on target.