Author: Saraswati Adityarini (Lesser Sunda Seascape Fisheries Officer, WWF-Indonesia)

WWF-Indonesia together with the Marine and Fisheries Service (DKP) of East Flores Regency conducted a dissemination activity of the study results of the East Flores Regency Fisheries Subsidy Assessment and Regent Regulation (Perbup) No. 09 of 2015 concerning East Flores Regency Fisheries Subsidy Policy in East Flores Regency. This activity was held in conjunction with the Development Planning Meeting (Musrembang) at the sub-district level of East Flores Regency on February 25 - May 5, 2016.

From the results of the study on fisheries subsidies in East Flores Regency, it is known that many of the subsidies disbursed in the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years, around 79.1% - 85.4%, were directed towards the type of subsidies that triggered fisheries over-capacity (color-coded red) and very few, around 0.83% - 6.8%, were directed towards useful subsidies (color-coded green). This understanding should be conveyed to coastal communities and government at the village and sub-district levels so that they are more selective in proposing and receiving fisheries subsidy programs. Considering the fisheries management performance of East Flores Regency which is in the medium category and the enactment of Perbup No. 09/2015, the allocation of positive (green) fisheries subsidies is expected to improve the fisheries management performance of East Flores Regency. (Read also East Flores Set the Effectiveness of Fisheries Subsidy Sustainably)

Out of 19 sub-districts in East Flores Regency, 14 sub-districts have been identified to receive dissemination materials on Perbup No. 09/2015 and the Positive Subsidy Concept. The materials will be delivered at the sub-district level Musrembang and the fourteen sub-districts are Larantuka, Ile Mandiri, Lewolema, Titehena, East Adonara, East Solor, West Solor, South Solor, Tanjung Bunga, Ile Boleng, West Adonara, Adonara, Central Adonara, and Ile Bura. The Musrembang event at the sub-district level in East Flores Regency was also held to filter proposals from each sub-district that had gone through the process of Musrembang Dusun, Musrembang Desa, and Pramusrembang. The proposals that are successfully collected will later be synergized with the Regional Work Unit (SKPD) for the preparation of the 2017 Regional Work Plan (RKPD) and the 2017-2021 Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) of East Flores Kab.

Based on the results of this Sub-District Musrembang, one of the agreed proposals is that the provision of fishing gear must be adjusted to Perbup No. 06 of 2014 and Perbup No. 09 of 2015, namely selective fishing gear. The prohibition of several types of prohibited fishing gear, such as lampara, purse seine, trawl with small mesh size, aims to maintain the sustainability of fish resources in East Flores Regency. Another challenge found in the positive implementation of subsidies is the allocation of village funds, especially in coastal villages. Therefore, the flow of this subsidy needs to be guarded together so that it is directed to activities that support the improvement of fisheries management in East Flores Regency.

Furthermore, WWF-Indonesia together with the East Flores District Fisheries Subsidies Team will continue to support the local government of East Flores District. Some of the agendas are to assist DKP of East Flores Regency to conduct a selection mechanism according to the fisheries subsidy demonstration periodically; provide recommendations based on the evaluation results of the previous year's subsidies and monitor the progress of the current year's subsidy implementation; and conduct monitoring and evaluation projections for the following year's subsidies to achieve sustainable and sustainable fisheries management in East Flores Regency.