The Dilemma of Marine Ornamental Fish Eco-label in Indonesia: From Market Instruments to Political Instrument

This study was conducted in Les Village, Bali, exposed how the dynamics of marine ornamental governance in Indonesia faced the shadow territory where fishers (marine ornamental fish fishers) being more marginalized in this... [ view full abstract ]

This study was conducted in Les Village, Bali, exposed how the dynamics of marine ornamental governance in Indonesia faced the shadow territory where fishers (marine ornamental fish fishers) being more marginalized in this sector. Environmental transformation was established by Les Fisher with an initiatives of an NGO (Yayasan Bahtera Nusantara) in order to conserve their nature that had been devastated by cyanide fishing for decades. They transformed Les fishers from cyanide fishers become cyanide-free fishers. This transformation then certified by Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) as a legitimation for Les’ fishers transformation. The aims of this research was to explore how eco-label impacted on Les fisher’s livelihood. This study found that eco-label transformed become two faces of the coin. In the one face, eco-label promote a sustainable fishing for Les fishers. But the other face, eco-label then transformed become a bundle of power for exporters to determinant price, and limited fisher’s income in a day by controlled the type and numbers of fishes that fishers caught. This embodiment of power, then making Les fishers do not have equal access to benefits of their transformations nor the premium price for the cyanide-free fish caught as promised. I examines this research with the structured and semi structured questions of fishers, middleman, and key informants, and collecting data from focus group discussion. The results of this study led to two confusing branches that need the presence of the role of government, to regulate a sustainable marine ornamental fisheries and also favorable for fishers.