Wakatobi Implement Open-Close System for Octopus, Abundant Catches

Kaledupa Island for example, in addition to being an island fenced by natural mangroves, it turns out they also have a good way of managing to utilize the harvest in the form of octopus.

Precisely in the village of Darawa. The community has an open-close system for octopus capture areas, called the "Wakatobi Octopus Program".

Member of the Kahedupa Toudani (Forkani) Forum, Mursiati explained that the special program to manage the octopus capture system has been done for a long time. In 2016 with assistance from an international conservation organization called Blu Ventures.

Why the Wakatobi Octopus Program?
This octopus catching area management system starts from the community's anxiety and complaints because their catch has decreased.

Starting from the results of a small octopus, a small amount of catch, and also the sales results are also low. Meanwhile, octopus is one of the main sources of seafood sales in Darawa.

Departing from this issue, Nusi's nickname Mursiati explained that Forkani invited to discuss and provide understanding to the public about the program.

Kaledupa Island for example, in addition to being an island fenced by natural mangroves, it turns out they also have a good way of managing to utilize the harvest in the form of octopus.

Precisely in the village of Darawa. The community has an open-close system for octopus capture areas, called the "Wakatobi Octopus Program".

Member of the Kahedupa Toudani (Forkani) Forum, Mursiati explained that the special program to manage the octopus capture system has been done for a long time. In 2016 with assistance from an international conservation organization called Blu Ventures.

Why the Wakatobi Octopus Program?
This octopus catching area management system starts from the community's anxiety and complaints because their catch has decreased.

Starting from the results of a small octopus, a small amount of catch, and also the sales results are also low. Meanwhile, octopus is one of the main sources of seafood sales in Darawa.

Departing from this issue, Nusi's nickname Mursiati explained that Forkani was invited to discuss and provide understanding to the public about the program.

The community will be assisted to help this system run well, according to customary rules.

So, the community will take care of each other and supervise anyone who makes arrests prematurely, and sanctions according to the agreement of the joint deliberations.

Period of closing octopus area
The mechanism applied in the octopus management system is carried out with a closing period of catching octopus for three months.

Period July to September, fishermen are not allowed to catch octopuses in the designated area.

In Wakatobi, there are 14 octopus areas on the high seas that have been designated as octopus areas, including in Darawa Village.

During those three months the octopus will multiply and is expected to be large when fishermen are allowed to go to sea.

However, it is not only octopus that should not be captured during the closing period of three months. All marine biota are not permitted to be caught for any reason.

However, in the closing period of the agreed octopus area, the community was still allowed to catch octopus or other biota in areas outside of it.

Open period octopus area
"If it is opened (octopus area), new fishermen may catch octopus in the area earlier," Nusi said.

In the past, after the opening of the octopus area it became a fishing area. So during the first seven days only male fishermen were allowed to catch fish in the octopus area first. Only female fishermen are allowed after the first seven days.

Then this has become a polemic again there. The female fishermen protested that their catch was less than that of the men, due to the fact that many male fishermen had taken it in the first seven days of the octopus area being opened.

Nusi said, although it was still in the same period of closing the octopus region which was three months from July to September, female fishermen could also take natural products in the octopus area since the area was reopened.

In fact, female fishermen in Darawa Village are currently getting more benefits because female fishermen are still allowed to catch octopuses in the male area. But not vice versa, male fishermen are still not allowed to catch in the area of ​​capture of female fishermen.

"This is delicious, female fishermen. Can be caught in male fishermen. But male fishermen should not be caught in the women's area. But this is not a problem there," explained Nusi.

Abundant catches
With the open and close system of the octopus catching area, people feel the benefits and economic results for their welfare.

For Fragrant Island, one collector can collect around 11 tons of octopus in a week.

While in Darawa Village, with only 76 fishermen, it can produce one ton more fresh octopus ready to sell for one month. This harvest does not include catches from the Bajo Tribe who also inhabit the area.

The octopus caught by the fishermen in Darawa Village itself before being sold will be sorted according to size or weight.

Data in 2017, he said, in at least one month at most around 670 kilograms was a category C octopus weighing between 0.5 to 0.9 kilograms, selling price of Rp 10,000 per kg.

Meanwhile, category B octopus weighing one to 1.4 kilograms are sold for Rp 17,000 per kilogram. Octopus that weighs 1.5 kilograms can even be valued at Rp 23,000 per kilogram.

"Before the open-close area for the octopus, they (fishermen) only got 200 kilograms that were captured. They lost 89 million," explained Nusi.

Generally, octopus produced from Wakatobi will be sent to Kendari. Even though the selling price is fairly high, but Kendari itself is currently also getting a supply of octopus from other regions.

Until now, the open-close system of octopus in Darawa Village, Kaledupa Island, Wakatobi is still being implemented. Environmentally friendly capture is carried out as a form of care and preserve nature.

Mui G Yang nggak terlihat, belum tentu nggak ada. Begitupun sebaliknya.

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