LocationsIdentifying Fishing Challenges in a Remote Indonesian Vessel-Manufacturing Community
October 19, 2022
Fishing boats, made of wood and the 30GT style of boat, are also made in Kumbe village
As we approached the fishing village of Kumbe, regarded as a vessel manufacturing hub in Indonesia's eastern province of Papua, thick clouds hung low and a steady drizzle dropped over a village border sign.
Kumbe is a remote coastal village outside Merauke city, in Papua province which shares its border with Papua New Guinea. The journey from Merauke to the village takes up to three hours and travellers must go through a road riddled with potholes, before going on a quick boat ride.
The atmosphere in the village was relatively quiet when we stepped off the boat. Only a few people were waiting for the ship to Merauke, along with a few children walking home from school. The Kumbe village residents’ livelihoods depend on the seas. Most fishers in Kumbe who mostly caught snapper, were usually at sea for weeks.
Kumbe is one of the sites of UNDP’s ATSEA-2 Project, a regional project with funding from GEF. The project is being implemented through a collaboration with the Governments of Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and with support from the Australian Government.
Our team was in Kumbe recently to identify issues and opportunities for development in the Arafura and Timor Seas. In doing so, the Project works together with the Centre for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies – IPB University (CCMRS-IPB), the national Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis consultant for Indonesia.
Many local fishers come to Kumbe to get their ships made. Different kinds of vessels can be found here, including traditional wooden ships and 30 GT vessels (although we did not find more than 30 GT vessels manufactured in the vicinity).
The fishing activities are quite lively in Kumbe. Local fishers welcomed us enthusiastically with open arms when we met at their place to conduct the interview, which aimed to gather ecological, governance and socio-economic data regarding transboundary issues in Merauke.
Fishing is the primary livelihood in Merauke. Fishers, who spend weeks and months at sea, typically catch snapper.
The locals noted that, in addition to ships from Kumbe and Merauke, there were also a lot of vessels from Maluku, Java and Makassar. The local fishers said that several shrimp ships from other provinces and districts docked in Kumbe too. Several fishermen agreed that an increased number of vessels in Kumbe could increase fishing competition, but several others stated they are not really affected by the conditions.
“Of course, the number of ships increases from time to time, but those are shrimp ships,” explained one of the fishers, who added that these are not their usual fishing grounds, so they only tend to dock here. “That is not particularly a problem for our fishing activity, but that would be a problem if they started to throw their rubbish into the water,” he added.
The local fishermen are also used to venturing beyond Merauke and even, in rare cases, across the country’s boundaries. One of them shared a story about how he once went shark fishing just across the border with Australia. He claimed that he had ventured there unintentionally, and quickly suffered consequences. Hundreds of shark fishers were apprehended by Australian patrols and sent back to Indonesia, while their ships were burned in Australia. After the incident, local fishers became more cautious of their activities, especially in terms of the routes they took.
The Kumbe fishers suggested that illegal fishing is caused by a lack of fishery community management in their village; a lot of fishers have not been recorded here, which has made it harder for fishers to raise their issues with the local authorities. Additionally, the disorganized community themselves posed a challenge for those looking to aid and support.
It was a great experience to hold such an open discussion with the community; to learn their story, understand their concerns and recognise their needs. The community is tight, but with focused guidance, sustainable development in Merauke can be strengthened – which will require long-term commitment from a community, ecological and governance perspective.
Text and photos by Ketut Listyani Sri Rejeki
Edited by Tomi Soetjipto and Ranjit Jose
