<![CDATA[Small-scale capture ï¬sheries have a very important place globally, but unfortunately are still mostly unregulated. Typically, they are deï¬ned based on capture ï¬sheries characteristics, technical attributes of ï¬shing vessels, and socio-economic attributes of ï¬shers. Indonesia uses the term ‘small-scale ï¬sher’ (nelayan kecil), currently deï¬ned to include ï¬shing boats of ≤ 10 gross tons (GT), which previously covered only boats of ≤ 5 GT. Because small-scale ï¬shers are by law granted a privilege by government to be exempted from ï¬sheries management measures (e.g. ï¬sheries licensing system), its current deï¬nition jeopardizes ï¬sheries sustainability and signiï¬cantly increases the size of unregulated and unreported ï¬sheries. It is also unfair, as it legitimizes the payment of government support to relatively well-off ï¬shers. This paper aims to develop a functional deï¬nition of small-scale ï¬sheries (perikanan skala kecil) to guide policy implementation to improve capture ï¬sheries management in Indonesia. A deï¬nition of small-scale ï¬sheries is proposed as a ï¬sheries operation, managed at the household level, ï¬shing with or without a ï¬shing boat of < 5 GT, and using ï¬shing gear that is operated by manpower alone. This deï¬nition combines attributes of the ï¬shing vessel (GT), the ï¬shing gear (mechanization), and the unit of business decision making (household) to minimize unregulated and unreported ï¬shing and focus government aid on people who are truly poor and vulnerable to social and economic shocks. The terms small-scale ï¬sheries and small-scale ï¬shers must be legally differentiated as the former relates to ï¬sheries management and the latter relates to empowerment of marginalized ï¬shers.]]>
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