Risk based framework analysis for sustainable management of mud crab Scylla sp of Kotania Bay, Western Seram, Indonesia

Abstract

The mud crab Scylla sp. fishery of Kotania Bay, Western Seram District has been conducted for many years starting from 1980 with almost no management. Mud crab is one of the economic important fish resources from this area. The mud crab is harvested by local fishermen that are classified as artisanal fishermen. The fishermen depend on the mud crab as their source of income. Economic pressure, available market, and no proper fisheries management create the fishery under extensive exploitation. A study on risk potency and stock parameter of mud crab Scylla sp. was conducted from June to August 2019. The objectives of this study were to analyze the risk potency and stock parameters of this fishery. The productivity Susceptibility Analysis (PSA) approach was used to analyze the risk potency of the mud crab, while Schaefer dynamic model was used to analyze stock parameters of the fishery. The result showed that the risk potency from fishing gear towards Scylla sp., bait-fish, and habitat was unconditionally passed according to MSC criteria with a score of 89, 95, and 85 consecutively. The result on stock parameters showed that there is a strong and negative relationship between effort and CPUE (r = 0.8997), the mud crab production has exceeded MSY as a reference point and tends to decrease, whereas average fishing effort was 198 units and already passed the fMSY of 130. All these stock parameters suggested that the mud crab fishery of Kotania Bay was in overfishing condition.