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CHAPTER I Introduction

1.1. Overview

 Environmental fish resources, according to the Fisheries Law no. 9 of 2009 concerning Fisheries are waters where fish resources live. It also includes biota and the surrounding natural factors. The environment combines the physical condition and the user's character. Physical consists of natural resources such as land, water, solar system energy, minerals, and flora and fauna that grow on land and in waters. At the same time, the user's character is the decision to use the physical environment for sustainability factors.

The environment of inland fish resources is very vulnerable to various disturbances because of their high level of utilization, for example, for agriculture, settlements, and industry (Strayer and Dudgeon, 2010). These activities impact ecosystem degradation, reducing the economic value of ecosystem services, such as the availability of fish and supporting resources for recreation, tourism, and other sectors (Dyson, Bergkamp & Scanlon, 2003). Threats to the inland water environment generally arise due to the growth of the human population. Then, it triggers environmental modification and expands businesses that directly or indirectly utilize terrestrial areas and inland waters. Nationally, the Environmental Quality Index (IKLH) compose value of four indices: the Water Quality Index, The Air Quality Index, the Land Quality Index, and the Seawater Quality Index. It shows an increase in the IKLH value from the contribution of the increased air quality and seawater quality index values. As many as 80% of provinces can achieve the 2021 IKLH target, so IKLH scores are in the good range.

However, the water quality index for 2021 is described as decreasing compared to 2020. Meanwhile, in 2020 it is known that as many as 44% of major rivers in 34 provinces are experiencing heavy pollution (KLHK, 2020). Key parameters such as physical water parameters, including dissolved solids, oxygen demand, chemical parameters, and Fecal Coli, illustrate the impact of environmental pressures (anthropogenic factors). Anthropogenic pressure on the inland water environment leading to population extinction reaches 65% on a moderate to severe scale (Vörösmarty et al. 2010). Multiple stressors not only depress waters in terms of quality, habitat, and environmental damage but are also caused by fishing and aquaculture activities (Reid et al., 2018).

More specific problems in inland water ecosystems include environmental degradation in watersheds (DAS) to the entire river basin. The increase in population, in addition to coordination problems between upstream and downstream, intensive and institutional sand mining also adds problems to the river environment. It is also the case with the water quality status of rivers in the watershed area experiencing pollution (Yetti et al., 2011; Aisyah, 2019). The degradation of the watershed impacts decreasing the diversity of fish species (Pusriskan, 2018). The number of critical watersheds continues to increase over time; there were 22 crucial watersheds in 1984 which became 106 in 2016.

Riverbank areas designated as green areas have also experienced the impact of human activities. Most riverbanks have changed their function, not according to their designation. Management of river banks and riparian areas (areas that maintain the function of rivers) should rely on Government Regulation 38 of 2011 concerning rivers. It is also a derivative regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing number 28/PRT/M/2015 concerning establishing river banks and lake demarcation lines. It contains the criteria for determining the demarcation lines of rivers and lakes. The deeper the river means, the wider the demarcation, and the lake demarcation line is determined to be at least 50 meters from the edge of the lake body.

Apart from rivers, watersheds, and border areas, environmental degradation also occurs in reservoir waters. Water enrichment or eutrophication is generally a major problem in reservoir ecosystems after 1-2 years of water filling (inundation). Besides, water enrichment is also thought to have originated from aquaculture development in reservoir ecosystems through the floating net cage system (KJA) developed in several reservoirs in Indonesia (which are not designated as raw water providers). The source of pollution from KJA comes from the accumulation of leftover feed and fish metabolism results which tend to increase nutrients. Increased water nutrients then accelerate eutrophication, stimulating algae blooms, anoxia, and water to become toxic (Bveridge, 1996). The decrease in water quality standards in both reservoirs is marked by the concentration of phosphorus (Total Phosphorus). It exceeds the maximum concentration that can be accommodated in the reservoir waters. It indicates that the nutrient pollution load has exceeded the biota's standard water allotment threshold.

Natural fluctuations in water level as part of hydro-climatic, a common problem in lakes and reservoirs, result from rainfall variations. Its presence also affects fish resources in rivers and swamps. The hydrological system includes the process of evaporation/precipitation or rainfall, infiltration/percolation of water in the ground, or movement of water towards the groundwater table and surface water. Rainfall is the main factor that controls the process of the hydrological cycle in a watershed which is also related to reservoir waters (Soewarno, 2015). Climatological systems such as irradiation duration and air temperature play an important role in fishery activities because they can influence the productivity of the waters and the growth rate of its biota (Radiarta et al. 2011).

1.2. Description 

Assessment of EAFM indicators in inland waters is the initial stage in the implementation stage of the Fisheries Management Plan in inland waters WPPNRI. It is also a strategic plan containing issues and problems, goals, objectives, and action plans for fisheries management. It is aligned with the Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia number 22 of 2021 concerning the Preparation of Fisheries Management Plans and Fisheries Management Institutions in the Fisheries Management Area of ​​the Republic of Indonesia.

This module is structured as teaching material for implementing Technical Guidance for the Assessment of Fisheries Management Indicators with an Ecosystem Approach. It is aimed at provincial/regency/city regional government officials according to their authority and other relevant stakeholders (research institutions or universities). So they can assess fisheries in all inland water ecosystems that fisheries business actors have exploited. The evaluation results of EAFM indicators in inland waters are expected to be included in the application of the Information System for Fisheries Management in Inland Waters (SIDAT). Therefore, they can be a joint reference in preparing RPP in the WPPNRI inland waters and their derivatives.

This environmental domain of fish resources identifies fish resources and the environment in the EAFM area, including the typology of fish resources, spatial dynamics of fish resources, and characteristics of fish resources by species. It includes ecosystem typology and characteristics and dynamics of the aquatic environment, food webs and interactions between fish resources, and functional interactions between ecosystems and fish resources. The environment of fish resources is the waters where fish resources live, including biota and the surrounding natural factors (Law No. 45 of 2009).

This module will present a more detailed description regarding water level fluctuations, pollution, border vegetation, fisheries-restricted areas, environmental modification, siltation, and important habitats. Within the framework of fisheries management with an ecosystem approach or Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM), the environmental domain of fish resources is one of the 7 (seven) EAFM domains in inland waters (Figure 1). It is used to analyze status flags and the resulting impacts from the environmental utilization of fish resources in inland waters ecosystems. Therefore, strategic steps can be taken to regulate efforts to manage fish resources in inland waters.

      

Figure 1. Position of the Environmental Domain of Fish Resources in EAFM in Inland Waters

1.3. Objective

Learning Module IV – Environmental Domain of EAFM Fish Resources in inland waters aims to:

  1. The participants know the meaning of indicators inside the environmental domain of fish sources, including water level fluctuations, pollution, demarcation area and/or littoral areas, Fisheries Restricted Areas, environmental modifications, silting, and important habitats; and
  2. Participants understand how to evaluate indicators and determine status flags on environmental domain fish sources in an inland aquatic ecosystem

1.4. Definition

  1. Fishery are all activities related to the management and utilization of fish resources and their environment starting from pre-production, production, and processing to marketing carried out in a fishery business system;
  2. Fish are all kinds of organisms whose whole or part of their life cycle is in the aquatic environment;
  3. Fisheries Management is all efforts, including processes that are integrated into information gathering, analysis, planning, consultation, decision-making, allocation of fish resources, and implementation and law enforcement and regulations in the field of fisheries, carried out by the government or other authorities directed at achieving continuity of productivity of aquatic resources and set goals;
  4. An ecosystem is an interaction and interrelation between living things and their environment;
  5. The Ecosystem Approach is an effort to involve ecosystem components with a decision-making process on resources, ecosystems, and their environment;
  6. Fisheries Management with an Ecosystem Approach (Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management), hereinafter referred to as EAFM, is a management approach that emphasizes the importance of linkages (connectivity) between fishing techniques and aquatic ecosystem components, including social, economic, and institutional aspects;
  7. Connectivity is the functional linkages between EAFM components that also consider the precautionary and uncertainty principles;
  8. Functional Linkages is a reciprocal relationship between EAFM components that are mutually influencing and irreplaceable (irreversible);
  9. A precautionary principle is an approach that considers the risk of a management action;
  10. The principle of uncertainty is a principle that considers the dynamic and unpredictable nature of ecosystems;
  11. Fisheries Management Unit, hereinafter referred to as FMU, is a fishery management unit defined according to space and species of fishing technique, where each fishery management unit has a fishery management unit;
  12. A fisheries management unit by space is a fishery management unit that is defined based on ecological or administrative space;
  13. A fisheries management unit by species is a fishery management unit that is defined based on a unit of stock of a particular species and/or group of species;
  14. Fisheries Management Area or WPP is a fishery management area for fishing, fish farming, conservation, research, and fishery development which includes inland waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, additional zones, and the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone;
  15. The fisheries management unit is an institutional unit that plans, implements, and evaluates fishery management in a particular fishery management unit;
  16. The domain is a group of various indicators that interact with each other to form certain characteristics;
  17. The indicator is the value used as a reference point to indicate the characteristics of the domain;
  18. The key indicator is the first ranking indicator and has the highest rating weight in a domain;
  19. The parameter is the variable used to measure quality;
  20. Fish resources are all potential types of fish (class Pisces);
  21. Characteristics of fish resources is a characteristic that is owned or attached to fish resources;
  22. Characteristics of the aquatic environment is a characteristic of aquatic ecosystems;
  23. Dynamics of the aquatic environment is a change in the order of the environment by human activities or by natural processes, resulting in a change in the aquatic ecosystem;
  24. Land waters are waters that do not belong to individuals and/or corporations, which are measured from the lowest tide line to the mainland;
  25. A fishing sanctuary is a certain water area, either fresh, brackish, or seawater, with certain conditions and characteristics as a place for shelter/breeding of certain fish species;
  26. Stakeholders are parties that have correlated interest in management fishery in WPPNRI;
  27. Rivers are places and containers as well as water drainage networks starting from springs to estuaries bounded on the right and left and along the drainage by a demarcation line;
  28. The swamp is a stagnant natural land that occurs continuously or seasonally due to blocked natural drainage and has special physical, chemical, and biological characteristics;
  29. Lake is a reservoir of water on the surface of the earth, and its naturally formed ecosystem is bounded around it by the lake demarcation line;
  30. Lake demarcation is the area of ​​land that surrounds it. Then it is a certain distance from the edge of the body lakes that function as protected areas of lakes, public facilities, communities, and environmental aspects of interest;
  31. A reservoir is a water container formed as a result of the construction of a river structure, in this case, a dam building, and in the form of a widening of a river channel/body/trough;
  32. The fisherman is the person whose livelihood is catching the fish
  33. An artisanal fisherman is a person whose livelihood is fishing to meet the needs of daily life, whether using fishing vessels or not using fishing vessels.
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