Translating the ecosystem approach to fisheries management into practice: Case of anchovy management, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) strives to balance multiple objectives of ecological wellbeing, social and economic wellbeing, and good governance. The Provincial Government of West Papua with technical support from the USAID Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced Project (SEA) has developed a fisheries management plan (FMP) for the anchovy fishery in Raja Ampat, West Papua Province of Indonesia. EAFM is the appropriate approach to manage the fishery because EAFM multiple objectives reflect the challenges and needs to ensure the sustainability of the fishery resources and to contribute to local communities. The FMP includes management issues, operational objectives, appropriate management measures, and action plans defined through a participatory process. The issues include overfishing as shown by declining anchovy catches, resource competition between local small-scale fishers and industrial fishers, limited livelihood opportunities, and an absence of a functional fishery governance institution. To address these challenges, the FMP has multiple operational objectives: to empower local livelihoods, strengthen institutional management mechanisms, and ensure anchovy resources sustainability. The integration of the socioeconomic aspect means there must be management decision trade-offs that weigh trade-offs of stock sustainability, local poverty, interests of the private sector, and addressing the horizontal conflict between locals and industrial fishers. Strengthening fisheries institutions is critical to ensure integration in resource investments and in detailing activities to implement the FMP because of the complementary roles, and lack of synergy of the multiple agencies. This holistic approach is expected to support the long-term use of the anchovy resources while partially alleviating local poverty.