First Regular Meeting of the Fisheries Co-Management Committee for Tuna, Skipjack and Tongkol in Southeast Sulawesi Province

Fisheries Co-Management Committee (FCMC) for Tuna, Skipjack and Tongkol (TCT) in Southeast Sulawesi Province Fisheries Management Area (WPP) held its first regular meeting on May 17, 2022. Following up on the committee formation meeting on 22 April 2021 (https://bit.ly/3RNDkC3) and issuance of Southeast Sulawesi Governor’s Decree No. 691 of 2021 regarding the Establishment of TCT FCMC in Southeast Sulawesi. This first regular meeting was organized by Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA), facilitated by Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI) and Yayasan IPNLF Indonesia (YII). The meeting was held offline in Kendari and attended by the central government (Dit. PSDI-DJPT, KKP), local governments (Provincial MFA, 8 Fisheries Department, etc), academics (Univ. Halu Oleo, Univ. Muhammadiyah Kendari), industry & suppliers in Southeast Sulawesi and their supply chain, Handline fishers’ representatives from Buton, and other organizations/NGOs (AP2HI, YII, MDPI).

The main purpose of this meeting is to socialize the Southeast Sulawesi Governor’sDecree No. 691/2021 to committee members, detailing the duties and responsibilities of each members categories and discussion of the committee’s work plan for 1- and 3-years period. The committee members received references materials presented by the Directorate PSDI-DJPT, MMAF (Hary Christijanto) and FPIK-Univ. Halu Oleo (Dr. Naslina Alimina, S.Pi., M.Sc.) regarding Management Policy and TCT fisheries management in WPP 713 and 714 (Southeast Sulawesi). Socialization and explanation of duties and responsibilities of committee members was delivered directly by the Head of Southeast Sulawesi FCMC La Ode Kardini, SE., M.Sc. (Head of Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency).

Participants who attended this meeting were enthusiastic about the event and were active in giving inputs for this committee and work plans for better TCT fisheries management in Southeast Sulawesi Province. Mr. Iman Botji from Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency gave his input regarding the importance of encouraging local governments to manage FADs in WPP 713/714.   Mr. La Kali from South Buton FCMC who expressed the importance of reporting findings of fishers regarding the existence of Andon vessels from other provinces operating in the waters of Wakatobi and Buton (WPP 714). Hopefully this will be a solution with the new policy in WPP 714 that does not allow Andon fishers to catch in ​​WPP 714. Mr. Rasmin Rahman from Marine and Fisheries Agency Buton expressed the importance of supervisory system from Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Agency to oversee this issue.