| Workshop on
“Customary Institutions in Indonesia: Do they have a role in Fisheries and Coastal Area Management?”
Jayakarta Lombok Beach Resort and Spa, Lombok, Indonesia
2 – 5 August 2009
In Southeast Asia, as in several other parts of the world, fishing is not merely an economic activity. For millions of people it is a source of livelihood and a socio-cultural way of life. Communities in the region have a long, often centuries-old tradition of fishing, and over time they have evolved a keen understanding of their ecosystems, particularly of winds, currents and tides, of various fish species, their breeding seasons and spawning grounds, and so on. Their traditional fishing practices, techniques, craft and gear have evolved based on this contextual understanding.
Not surprisingly, certain systems of internal governance and coastal and marine living resources management have also evolved over the generations, and continue to exist in several countries of the region. Such systems are well-documented, for example, in Indonesia and parts of Malaysia. In Indonesia, customary arrangements in relation to marine space such as Sasi Laut, Panglima Laut, Lubuk Larangan, Lebak Lubung, Maawu Danau, Ikan Larangan, Ikan Diniatkan, Suaka Perikanan and others have been documented. Such arrangements have played a role in resolving disputes over access and exploitation of fishery resources, thus contributing to social equity. They have, often indirectly, played a critical role in managing fisheries and coastal resources by regulating access to fishing grounds.
Over time, however, due to several factors including centralized fisheries and coastal areas management regimes, many of these arrangements are under pressure. Some of them continue to survive, albeit in changed forms, retaining their relevance by adapting to current challenges. In the post-tsunami context, for example, the Panglima Laot in Aceh, rooted in local social networks, played an important role in the rehabilitation of tsunami-ravaged communities.
The limitations of centralized top-down management systems (or the inability of centralized fisheries administrations to effectively manage resources) are now increasingly evident, and co-management and decentralization processes are being put in place across the region. There is clearly a need to explore the ongoing relevance of traditional knowledge and management systems in such a context.
The international community too has recognized the importance of customary/traditional knowledge and management systems for coastal and marine resources management. There is explicit reference to this in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and in the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF). The CBD specifically calls upon countries to respect, preserve, maintain and to promote wider application of the knowledge, innovations and practices of local and indigenous communities, relevant for conservation and sustainable use of resources. According to Article 6.4 of the CCRF: “Conservation and management decisions for fisheries should be based on the best scientific evidence available, also taking into account traditional knowledge of the resources and their habitat, as well as relevant environmental, economic and social factors….”, and according to Article 7.6.6: “When deciding on the use, conservation and management of fisheries resources, due recognition should be given, as appropriate, in accordance with national laws and regulations, to the traditional practices, needs and interests of indigenous people and local fishing communities which are highly dependent on fishery resources for their livelihood.” Similarly, Article 12.12 asks States to “investigate and document traditional fisheries knowledge and technologies, in particular those applied to small-scale fisheries, in order to assess their application to sustainable fisheries conservation, management and development”.
Workshop Objectives
It is against this backdrop that the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) is planning to organize a three-day workshop with the following objectives:
• Discuss the role and relevance of traditional knowledge and customary arrangements in fisheries and coastal area management in Indonesia;
• Review how customary rights to resources and arrangements can be better recognized and adapted to meet fisheries and coastal area management objectives, consistent with national and international obligations;
• Strengthen understanding and links between customary institutions, policy makers, researchers, and others.
The workshop will also examine gender issues in the context of traditional knowledge and customary arrangements.
Programme
Inauguration speech by Dr. Suseno Sukoyono, Special Advisor, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs
Lombok Statement - Statement from the workshop
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