Management Options for the Inland Fisheries Resource in South Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop an appropriate analytical model for identifying an efficient level of exploitation of the inland fishery resource in South Sumatra, Indonesia. This study involved the evaluation of the existing status of fish stock and assessment of various possible policies for the fishery. The main problem for the inland fishery in South Sumatra is the tendency for the resource to be over-fished, which has been well recognised as shown by some overall indicators, such as virtual disappearance of certain important species and continuous reduction in the size of harvested fish. These problems indicate that proper management is required. This was approached by formulating an analytical framework which includes biological, economic and social aspects of the fishery. Using the biological surplus production model, a bioeconomic model for the inland fishery was developed. Based on the models of Gordon-Schaefer, Gordon-Fox and Copes, supply models for the fishery were estimated. Demand for freshwater fish in the region was assumed to be perfectly elastic. Primary data were used to describe recent cost of fishing effort. Secondary data, combined with results of analysis of primary data, were used to derive a supply function for the fishery. Given available data, and in order to satisfy the requirements for applying the selected model, different types of fishing gear were standardised into a single fishing unit and mixed species of harvested fish were treated as an aggregated fish stock.