The Household Fisheries Management in the North Coast of Java, Indonesia

In this study we analyzed the characteristics of household fisheries and their management in the north coast of Java. An urban area (Muara Angke of Jakarta), semi-urban area (Pekalongan of Central Java), and rural area (Brondong of East Java) wereincluded.Household fisheries always face the uncertainty of the catch. Their daily-life depends on their catch which could be estimated only through subjective evaluation based on the long experience of the fishermen and their ancestors.The north coast of Java serves as the largest market for fish and alternative sources of income. In reality, however, alternative employment opportunities for fishermen is very limited with the large size population of landless agricultural laborers. The fishermen can not compete with the others, because of their limited skill in other professions.They can reduce some of the uncertainty of income by entering into agreements witheach other, usually in relationships among owners, crewmen, and "pengambek" (middlemen) which is based on mutual trust.In household fisheries, the relationship between owners and crewmen is organizedaround a core of household members or kinsmen. Integration of fishermen\u27s power inthe family group may gain strength in their bargaining position and could improve theirfishing activity and efficiency in business. They will have a better chance to collect their collateral to obtain formal credit or to interact with other sectors for alternative source of income