Management Practice of the Tributaries (Saka) of Kahayan River Based on Traditional Knowledge by the Community in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

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ABSTRACTFishermen in the tributaries of the Kahayan River in Tumbang Nusa village, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia have long been known to implement community‐based natural resource management (CBNRM). This paper is an outcome of a study of this community‐based management style. Data was collected through in‐depth interviews with informants (village heads, customary heads, fishermen, village communities, group leaders, and village facilitator), focus group discussions (FGDs), field observations, and a literature review. The tributaries are a fertile breeding ground for various fish species and hence are a main source of livelihood for the households living in the vicinity. The tributaries were originally owned individually, but as family members grew, the ownership became collective based on lineage (family group). Thus, a fisherman can access one or more tributaries depending on their inheritance rights. Therefore, the tributaries have emerged as a source of economic survival, and the study suggests the government introduce relevant laws and rules to protect this fragile ecosystem.