My name is Atrasina Adlina, but most of my friend called me Adlien. I born in capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta. But I grew up in several cities in Indonesia, such as Bogor, Makassar, and Ambon. In the last place, I start to think about what I can do for this country.
This story begin when I worked I did my bachelor study in Makassar, one of biggest city in east Indonesia. This city offered many island to get discovered. I met many person who lived as fishermen in coastal. They depend on the ocean for their life. I met the fishermen who earn money for his daily life less than 3 euro. He took the fish with artisanal fishing gear. He didn’t use high technology nor the newest technology that he saw in the television. He just think on what his family have for today, it so hard for him to think about his family future. This condition become worsen because there are many illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) Fishing happen in all island in Indonesia.
So, do not blame the fishermen if they try to use some bomb or cyanide to catch the fish and gain more money for they family. The number of poor fishermen in Indonesia in 2011 reached 7.87 million people or 25.14 percent of the total national poor who reached 31.02 million people. The number of 7.87 million people came from about 10,600 poor fishing villages in coastal areas in various parts of the country. So, I start to think pessimistic about fisheries future for the fishermen.
But when I learned about Fair Trade in tuna fisheries, I try to change my perspective. I saw an opportunity for the fishermen to think about their future. There is a chance for the fishermen to have a better life. When I worked as Traceability Implementer for Yayasan Masyarakat dan Perikanan (MDPI) in Ambon, I gained information about Fair Trade in Fisheries sector.
Along with the changing consumption of the world community, especially American and European markets, public awareness to consume a healthy fishery products, safe, and consider the aspect of sustainability continues to increase. The relationship between production potential and sustainability should be a point of interest for stakeholders. This is the biggest reason why Indonesian fishery products have not been able to compete with other countries. Because Indonesian fishery products, such as tuna, have not been able to demonstrate to consumers, are caught with environmentally friendly fishing gear and processes.
The trend of selling fish to neighbour countries at a cheaper price than the price provided by the American and European markets, is still going on. This is the lack of government and fishery industry in Indonesia. Meeting fishery certification standards should be one of the government’s key programs in addition to combating unsustainable fishing and theft of fish. Fulfillment of standards can be done with more information about eco-label to fishermen, suppliers and traders of international fishery products. Currently only tilapia and shrimp are already getting eco label from Aquaculture Stewardhsip Council (ASC).
If Indonesia does not follow the future market developments, Indonesia will be left behind. In the future buyers of large scale fishery products will start buying certified fish. Due to market demand for fishery products with eco-labels in countries that have consumers responsive to environmental issues.
This issue then draws my attention to the world of fisheries. After seeing the facts of eco-label fisheries and Fair Trade development in the world and in Indonesia, I would like to contribute more in the fishery sector. My experience in escorting the eco-labeling process of Fair Trade and MSC for two years in Maluku, became my motivation to participate in guarding the sustainability of food potential in Indonesia. Seeing the enthusiasm of citizens to participate in contributing and participating to become a certified fisherman, makes me have a great desire to become a researcher in the field of Fisheries Management.
For now I am focusing on studying life in coastal area as domain area of fishery activity. I was actively involved in a community that was concerned with the life of coastal communities. I participated in coral reef planting, mangrove rehabilitation, and doing research on coastal community life. Some of my researches such as “Analysis of Social and Economic Patterns of People on Small Islands”, “Ghost Fishing: Impact Analysis for Coral Reefs and Their Solutions”, “Tragedy of Common Property: Case Studies on Badi Island, Karanrang and Kodingareng, South Sulawesi” and lastly “Tracking the Sale of Minor Shark Fins in South Sulawesi”.
Several times I had the opportunity to see what really happen in coastal areas. From that opportunity I tried to dig up more polemics in coastal areas and communities. I write about fishermen story in my personal blog www.adlienerz.com. For the first time, I just made my blog as my diary, but sometimes I tried to write an opinion. This whole experience led me to make a journal about the place that I already visited. In addition, this journal also challenge me to learn a lot from other point of view, especially the fishermen.
This is why I have a bigger motivation to join this program. To set higher goal to make other people have their attention in this problems also. With join GLF, I can learn to make a better story line and spread all of the story about fishermen in Indonesia. So also can happen and make their life better. In the future, I want become a Marine Scientist and also actively involve in Non-Governmental Organization about Fisheries.
Name : Atrasina Adlina
Email : atra.adlina@gmail.com
Gender : Female
Country : Netherlands
University : Wageningen University
Mother Language : Bahasa Indonesia
Other languages you are fluent in: English
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