25
Looking Ahead in 2022 Coastal area in NTB. © WCS
Stock Monitoring 2021 saw fishing capacity (effort) in the snapper fishery reduced by 19% overall, with a 14% reduction in the seasonal fleet. The majority of this reduction is attributed to the decrease in the larger Vertical Drop Line boats (though they have probably moved to another more lucrative fishery rather than stopping fishing altogether). The not-so-good news is that the remaining fleet (small and medium-sized boats) has moved to the previously healthy WPPs—573 and 713—and fishing effort on WPP 573 has increased 145% and WPP 713 by 63%. The health of snapper stocks in coastal areas and offshore areas continues to decline. The average health of the species tracked for WPP 713 is 9% SPR, WPP 718 is 16% SPR, and WPP 573 is 4% SPR. The targeting of A. Brevis in 2020 (for their lucrative swim bladders) achieved 2-8 times average red snapper market prices have decimated the stock to the point where fishers are now shifting to other target species. All species tracked are significantly below the proposed lower limit (20% SPR) for the harvest strategy. Without urgent management interventions, this trend is likely to continue. The CODRS data remains the most comprehensive dataset on demersal fisheries in Indonesia, if not the Asia-Pacific region, and contains enormous amounts of information points that track the health of a diverse set of fisheries. The CODRS system has highlighted that fishers can track their fishing activities, location, and species caught (photograph) with a small initial investment in training, incentives, and integration into the vessel workflow. This system provides an opportunity to track and capture data and management for the larger > 10 GT boats of the fleet targeting snapper. This data provides the basis for a series of scientific journal publications for all Consortium partners.
WCS has also designed a community-based monitoring tool for their fisheries, collected on the ground successfully and fed directly into the Ministry’s data system and the provincial fisheries plans in their focal geographies. All these data sets are more than sufficient to document the current size composition of the stocks and the extent of fishing grounds. TNC/YKAN has transitioned all their data over to the MMAF BRPL unit (fisheries research), and this data is available in the WPPNRIbased Fisheries Management Information Center LPP WPP dashboard for public transparency and monitoring. With the creation of BRIN, the National Research and Innovation Agency Republic of Indonesia, there is some anticipation that the MMAF BRPL staff will join the new Ministry leaving the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries with a broader remit. Opportunities to review the system and look for integration points, especially with the ongoing e-logbook system designed in partnership with Consortium members, should be pursued. The question remains on how to streamline the data collection system and the costs to continue with a leaner, more cost-effective design that can be sustained and independent of philanthropic support. The use of fuel subsidies for vessels collecting data (and removing subsidies for those not submitting data) provides a potential incentive for mainstreaming the use of these e-logbooks. The Harvest Strategy implementation relies on access to real-time data from CODRS during the lifespan of the management system. Should any modifications to data collection be considered, corresponding changes should be incorporated in the Harvest Strategy. The Snapper Consortium partners have delivered on their remit to provide up-to-date information on the resource state. What is important now is to keep that data flowing and lead to management interventions and the appropriate policies. The potential use of the CODRS data as a proxy measure of the health of all demersal fisheries in Indonesia and to provide a unique bird’s-eye view across all WPPs should be submitted for consideration by the newly inaugurated Indonesian Stock Assessment Forum, National Commission on Fish Resource Assessment (Komnas Kajiskan). The likely loss of the critical MMAF fisheries researchers moving to the new Research Department, BRIN, means that the Komnas Kajiskan (stock assessment council) will play an even more significant role in ensuring stock status integrated into the Ministry’s new planned quota program.
