Multiple-goal bioeconomic programming to address conflicting management objectives in Indonesian small pelagic fisheries

Abstract

Decision-making in Indonesian fishery management with an ecosystem approach requires trade-offs between conflicting objectives. For small pelagic fisheries of Indonesia, this study addressed common decision-making problems in determining optimal levels of fishing effort adjustment and integrated management of fishery and fish processing objectives using multiple-goal bioeconomic programming models. In the effort adjustment, the analysis optimised among the conflicting ecological and economic objectives using the allocation of the effort across two of Indonesia’s Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs). An optimal fishing effort adjustment could increase fish stock biomass, fishery production, and fishery profit in both FMAs together. For managing the integrated fishery combining fishing and fish processing, the analysis determined the best-compromise solution to the conflicting objectives, while optimising the vessel size, the allocation of vessels within and beyond provincial jurisdictional waters, and the fish processing capacity. The result suggested not targeting increased employment as a fishery management objective to avoid increases in fishing pressure and the number of vessel workers that would lead to potential decreases in fisher family income. The programming models could be expanded to address the nation-wide issues of unbalanced fishing pressure and integrated fishery management by using an ecosystem approach to fisheries to sustain small pelagic fish resources while balancing ecological and human well-being.