By: Muhammad Yusuf

Wakatobi waters, Southeast Sulawesi, and the surrounding area, is one of the tuna fishing locations in Indonesia, particularly the yellow fin tuna species (Thunnus albacares). This area is included in the Fisheries Management Region (WPP) 714, the Banda Sea area. The tuna fishing fleet in the Wakatobi waters generally uses a motor boat (body trunk) with a capacity of less than 5 GT (gross tonnes) (source: DKP Wakatobi Statistics 2009), with some types of fishing gears such as fishing rods, fishing line kites, fishing minnows on trolling lines and float fishing. Each fleet consists of 1-2 fishermen who do the catching. Coverage area is the fishing area of no more than the provincial zone with only a day trip, which means departing at 2-4 in the morning and coming home around at around 2-3 in the afternoon.