37 environmental ordinance states that the community has an obligation to conserve the environment and has
sections prohibiting tree cutting or removal of other living things from protected forest, watersheds and mangrove areas. There are provisions for fines 50,000Rp and possible confiscation of gear used. The fishery
ordinance prohibits the usual illegal, bomb, cyanide, and electrode fishing in both fresh and marine waters. Here the fine is only 25 thousand Rp, but there is also a definite provision for confiscation and destruction of
gear.
3.3.5 Rumbia Bentenan and Tumbak control village
POPULATION: The Hukum Tua for Rumbia reported the current 2002 population of the village as
243 individuals. He is a newly elected Hukum Tua. He couldn’t explain the significant drop in population compared the figure of over 400 persons in 2000 because he said he didn’t have the past data. We were unable
to confirm this drop in population with other key informants.
The Hukum Tua informed us that there are three new households in the village. Two households are fishers and one household is a farmer 12 individuals total who moved from Bentenan, Motongkat
Bolaangmongondow and Temboan respectively. The expansion of residences on the beach has been to the north where they were built around 2000. There is another new household from Langowan that did not yet
register with the Hukum Tua. They live in Jaga I, and the husband works as a fisher. This information suggests a slight increase in population of approximately 15 persons in contrast to the figures provided by the Hukum
Tua.
OCCUPATIONS:
Rank importance of occupations in Rumbia are found in table 11.
Fishing and farming are the most important occupations, with
occupations in the “other” category and milkfish fry
collection ranking third and fourth, respectively. The Hukum
Tua stated that community income dropped slightly because
of weather. Farmers cannot plant in the dry season and fish catch also dropped. Seaweed farming, present in 2000 has now been suspended because of disease. Several fishers said they plan to farm seaweed again but have
been unable to find seed in the area. The Hukum Tua believes that the disease is caused by pollution from Newmont Gold Mining Corporation. However, seaweed disease has wiped out seaweed farms in several areas
throughout Indonesia in the past two years. Some farmers have abandoned the lines and the floats for seaweed farming and others have retrieved their lines and have hung them in their back yards.
One key informant expects that the next time seaweed farming starts, anyone a villager or non- villager who wants to farm must register with the village government so there will be no conflict on utilization
areas. He reported that previously, village government was controlling the installation of anchors and ropes. However, this policy is not supported by village ordinance.
There has been an increase in fishing effort. One katinting engine has been added to the fleet of four in 2000 for a total of five now. Small boats pelanglonde have increased from approximately 30 boats in 2000 to
40 now. The Hukum Tua felt that compared to 2000, bombing has declined and not even heard anymore. One fisher reported that the catch of Marlin fish has decreased because their prey fish malalugis are now abundant
farther off shore. He felt that household incomes have slightly decreased compared to three years ago because of the suspension of seaweed farming. This fisher reported that bombing is still heard on average three times a
week in contrast to the opinion of the Hukum Tua and carried out by people from Tumbak and Bentenan. Another fisher reported that bombing is still heard around Bentenan and Pakolor islands and believes it is
carried out by Tumbak fishers. He also mentioned that some people still use “bori” a poison produced by the root of a certain species of tree to catch fish in the river particularly people from Rumbia.
Table 11. Percent distribution of occupations in Rumbia 2002.
OCCUPATION 1st
2nd 3rd
4th 5th
TOTAL FISHING
50 35
-- 10
-- 95
MILKFISH FRY --
5 --
15 15
35 GLEANING
-- --
-- --
5 5
TRADE FISH --
5 --
-- --
5 TRADE FRY
-- --
5 --
-- 5
FARMING 30
30 15
5 --
80 OTHER
20 15
25 --
-- 60
TOTAL 100
95 45
30 20
N=20
38 Milkfish fry harvesting is still carried out even though the price is low Rp. 15piece. Although the
price is low compared to 2 years ago Rp. 50 they collect the fry because they have no alternative income sources.
NEW PROJECTS: There have been several development projects in the community over the past
two years. There have been rice subsidies to poor families provided from Social Services Department. A satellite phone was installed with a subsidy provided from the Minahasa government. Subsidies have also been
provided for simple farming equipment hand tools and building material for 30 substandard houses. Materials for housing subsidies included plywood, wood, tin roof, and cement for upgrading of houses constructed mainly
of bamboo and nipa. The East Minahasa ring road project is still ongoing but is currently focused on bridge construction. The road has not yet reached Rumbia. However, a direct road from Bentenan to Rumbia has been
bulldozed.
The community has built a spring box and small dam for water supply on their own without outside support. The village has also held bi-weekly general clean-ups including water and drainage systems and the
beach area.
NEW REGULATIONS: The village is in the process of drafting a number of village ordinances that
were discussed by village government officials and submitted to the BPD Village Parliament. Proposed ordinances are as follows:
1. Contributions for village development. 2. Contributions for water supply.
3. Contributions from public transportation and boat moorings. 4. Contributions from crop trading.
5. Regulations to control livestock cow, goat, pig. 6. Contributions for village administration
7. Contributions from land measurement 8. Regulation on protected forest including forest surrounding the spring.
9. Regulation concerning a general marine sanctuary for Rumbia. A violator engaged in coral mining
will be fined Rp. 500,000. Bomb fishers or violators that use poison will be referred to the police. There is also a plan to establish DPL like in Bentenan and Tumbak.
This latter ordinance shows the diffusion of marine resources management concepts from Bentenan to Rumbia. Many of the other ordinances have themes similar to the five new ordinances recently passed in
Bentenan. One fisher expressed interest in creating a marine sanctuary like in Bentenan, but he is not aware of the process to be used.
3.3.6 Minanga Bentenan and Tumbak control village
