Fishery poverty reduction in East Java: using sustainable livelihood approach

Abstract

The low capacity and lack of power make fisherman household fell under poverty cycle. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to find out strategy(ies) in accelerating fisherman household poverty reduction in East Java. This study used quantitative method along with the concept of sustainable livelihood approach (SLA). By SLA, this study reveals six capital aspects of fisherman's household capacity. Based on these six aspects, fishermen can be divided into two types, i.e.; 1) the rich; 2) the poor fishermen, with the number of the poor are up to 77%. Whereas, the most crucial environmental problem in fishery lies on the trade system, which has the tendency of being controlled by middlemen. As a result, there are two strategies in poverty reduction, viz.: 1) the main strategy, in the form of institutional strengthening to optimise the role of fisherman (TPI); 2) the supporting strategy, in the form of housewife empowerment through fisheries product diversification.