The Anatomy of Conflict in Indonesian Marine Fisheries

Abstract

This paper discusses the evolution of conflicts and conflict management in Indonesian marine fisheries since the 1970’s. Literature study combined with a case study of marine fisheries at the southern coast of Cilacap, Central Java Province, provides the main data sources for analyzing the issues. The modernization program through trawl introduction in the early 1970’s has fueled violent conflicts in this period. The conflicts forced the government to reevaluate its policy and prohibit the operation of trawls from 1980 to the present. The lack of law enforcement and the overarching of the modernization programs made the trawl ban short-lived. Since the 1990s, conflicts have emerged in a variety of types with complex root causes.

A case study of Cilacap shows fishery conflicts can be classified into three groups: (1) direct actor conflicts including issues of fishing gear, inequality of access to fishery resources, and migration; (2) intermediate actor conflicts including conflict due to suspicions of buyer intrigue in determining fish price, accusations of self-promotion by leaders of fisheries organizations, and fisheries development policy; and (3) indirect actor conflicts such as conflict with navigation and polluters. The study also verified that the declining of fishery resources, degradation of marine ecosystem, continued growth of the number of fishing vessels, high competition over ocean spaces, and the lack of enforcement of laws were likely the main factors behind the conflicts. Due to the complex root causes of the problems, fisheries management cannot rely only on technical or coercive approaches, but must take into account the heterogeneous interests and social structure of the communities using the resources.