Sapa Blongko control site

34 have reportedly declined. Blast fishing still occurs in the area, but by fishers from Bulutui rather than Kinabohutan, which was formerly alleged to be the source of bomb fishers. Some infrastructure, such as the village pier, has deteriorated significantly since 2000. It can no longer be safely used due to erosion of cement supports and missing segments in the walkway. Coastal erosion was evident, but most of the village coastline is beautifully greened with large trees. Some collecting of dead coral no fresh coral was noted was observed for lining septic tanks. NEW PROJECTS: Kahuku has a new Hukum Tua who is doing his best to upstage the previous village chief by using his own money to subsidize village projects such as improvement of the path connecting the sub-villages, which has been eroded by the sea, and providing loans for new fishing gear. Villagers provided labor and the Hukum Tua provided materials for path improvement. He reported that he provided loans for four of the eight new katinting small externally mounted boat engines. The hillsides of Kahuku, and the entire island of Bangka, seemed to be relatively free of the fires that raged on Talise. The Hukum Tua attributed this to sanctions he applies, such as sanctioning fire starters and making them pay damages. He reports that they plan to “re-green” the entire area, and he has ordered a total of seven kilograms of “Jati Super” tree seeds from Makkasar, which they plan to begin planting when the rains return. It is alleged that the trees can begin to be harvested after the 6 th year, but are bigger and better after 14 years. The Hukum Tua said that they have plans to export the wood. As a part of his “greening” activities, he has also prohibited the cutting of trees. Violators will suffer from “social sanctions.” The village of Kahuku also has problems with the pearl farming activities. A pearl farm shore-side installation is located just north of the village and extensive portions of the offshore waters are taken up by pearl farm activities. The fishers from Kahuku must also put up with overly aggressive guards who chase them away from the area. The pearl farm has operated in the area since 1991, and employs some 60 villagers 45 men and 15 women. The new Hukum Tua made several unfavorable comparisons between his administration and the previous one. He said that the former Hukum Tua let the pearl farm management take advantage of the community—that he feels that too much fishing area was taken away from the community. He also alleged that people freely cut trees along the coastline as long as they paid bribes to the former Hukum Tua. He said he works with the people, he does not just tell them what to do.

3.3.3 Sapa Blongko control site

POPULATION: The village secretary reported that the 2002 population of Sapa is 2361. This is a substantial decrease from the 2532 reported for 2000. When questioned concerning this discrepancy, he said that the 2000 census was inaccurate. Another census, performed for electoral purposes shortly after the official census, indicated a population of 2326. If correct, this indicates a slight population increase, which is consonant with the report that there was neither movement into or out of the village since 2000. There were reportedly no government projects since 2000. There were only community-generated projects such as collecting funds for church and mosque construction. The village secretary reported that there are no environmental projects or ordinances. Table 8. Percent distribution of occupations in Kahuku 2002. OCCUPATION 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th TOTAL FISHING 32 28 16 8 4 88 GLEANING -- -- 4 8 -- 12 TRADE FISH 8 -- -- 8 -- 16 TRADE OTHER -- 4 -- -- -- 4 PROCESS FISH -- -- -- 4 -- 4 PROCESSING -- 4 -- -- -- 4 FARMING 12 32 32 4 8 88 PEARL FARM 24 4 -- -- -- 28 SMALL SHOP 4 12 4 8 -- 28 OTHER 20 16 12 -- -- 48 TOTAL 100 100 68 40 12 N= 20 35 OCCUPATIONS: Rank importance of occupations in Sapa are found in table 9. Fishing and farming remain as the major contributors to household income as in previous surveys. Fish trading is also important in about one-half the households. While no significant changes have occurred in the agricultural sector, both the village secretary and the fishers report positively concerning the fishery. One group of fishers reported substantial increases in the number of katinting, increasing from two to three in 2000 to more than 50 today. They report that a count they made a few days before our assessment indicated that there are 54. Several other groups estimate the number of katinting at around 30. Some fishers report that non-fishers own some of these motors, and that they obtain one share usually one-third of the catch as payment for use of the motor. The secretary of the village attributes fishers increasing incomes to the increase in motors. He said that in 2000 it was hard for a fisher to earn 50,000Rp a day. Today, that is the lower end, with 75 to 100 thousand Rp being more common. While one group of fishers reported increases in income, several other groups reported that the increases in costs, negate these increases in earnings. The reported changes, however, can be attributed to more than just additional motors. Fishers report new markets for marine products. For example, they report that they have a new market for squid, and they have applied their considerable ingenuity to the capture of more of this species. They tie colored synthetic fibers on a length of fishing line that is weighted at one end and suspend it in an appropriate place in the nearshore water column. The color of the fiber depends on what attracts the squids prey, as well as what will attract the squid. The fibers act as an attractant for the small organisms that squid like, and the squid begin to concentrate around the line. The fishers simply scoop the squid from the water with a scoop net. Different colored fibers are used depending on the squids current prey. Numbers of boats and some gears have also increased, according to the fishers. Our vessel count in 1998 indicated 71, and in 2002 we counted 93. With respect to gear, the number of soma antoni flying fish nets have increased from 10 to 30 since 2000. There have been no increases in or introductions of other, more powerful gears since 2000. For example, the number of beach seine remains the same one and no compressors, funai, pajeko or other powerful gears are found in the fishery. The contrast between Boyangpante described below and Sapa is striking. They are separated along the coastline by only one village, Blongko, yet the trends in their fisheries are opposite. They both focus some effort fishing with katinting powered, small boats for pelagics around offshore FADs, but one has reduced effort while the other has increased. Granted, the reported sailing time to the FADs are shorter for the Sapa fishers one FAD is 2 hours away and another is 4, in contrast to almost 6 for Boyangpante fishers. This can be significant for wear and tear on both the fisher and his under-powered boat, and perhaps it can account for the differences in the trends in the two fisheries. Sapa fishers, however, feel that they are simply better fishers than those from Blongko and Boyangpante whom they scorn as also being farmers. Some evidence for this may be found in their differential adaptation to the problem of reduced visibility, which makes shore-side reference points invisible from the offshore FADS. As reported below, some Boyangpante fishers have reduced their fishing at the FAD because they do not like being out of sight of land. Sapa fishers purchased compasses 2 fishers reportedly have compasses, stick close by fishers with compasses, or use the suns direction to bring them in sight of familiar landmarks--two completely different responses. PROJECTS: The village government has established a relationship with a bank in Amurang to obtain small loans for village residents. As a part of this process, they are also encouraging and assisting villagers to obtain certificates or letters of ownership for their land, which reportedly can be used as collateral for loans from the bank. The village secretary said that several people have already participated and obtained loans, but one group of fishers on the beach said that the program has not been implemented yet. Several other groups had Table 9. Percent distribution of occupations in Sapa 2002. OCCUPATION 1st 2nd 3rd 4th TOTAL FISHING 35 15 20 5 75 GLEANING -- -- 5 5 10 TRADE FISH 20 20 10 -- 50 FARMING 35 25 25 5 90 CONSTRUCTION 5 15 -- -- 20 OTHER 5 15 -- 10 30 TOTAL 100 90 60 25 N= 20 36 not even heard of the program, despite the fact that the village secretary said that fishers formed most of the participants.

3.3.4 Boyongpante Blongko control site