The Panglima Laot of Aceh: a case study in large-scale community-based marine management after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Abstract

Despite dating back over 400 years the relevance of traditional fisheries management in Aceh, Indonesia, still remains high. Aceh was, however, greatly affected by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed an estimated 167,000 lives, including 14,000 fishermen and 59 of the 193 traditional marine leaders (Panglima Laot). This tragic loss of life was accompanied by a substantial loss of local knowledge, such as the locations of hazardous fishing grounds. In this study we describe an innovative project that sought to rebuild a post-tsunami fisheries sector by reengaging and empowering the Panglima Laot. During April-June 2008 GPS (global positioning system) sounding devices were installed on 53 local fishing boats and hazardous fishing areas mapped based on local knowledge, and shared amongst fishermen. During July-December 2008 nearly five million GPS data points were collected, from which detailed bathymetric maps were produced and shared between fishermen and Aceh government officials. Significant project outputs included a map of fishing areas over 20,000 km 2 , which included three new seamounts, one of which expanded Aceh's provincial boundary by . 1.3 million ha, and a Panglima Laot decree that reduced fishing in hazardous areas of high coral density by 23.3%. Our findings have wide applicability. Locally, the introduction of GPS technology and sharing of traditional knowledge resulted in fishermen developing and implementing their own management strategies and demonstrating their ability to stay out of restricted areas. Provincially, this project provided a framework through which government agencies and academic institutions could effectively engage with local customary leaders and their fishing communities.

Weak Compliance Undermines the Success of No-Take Zones in a Large Government-Controlled Marine Protected Area

“…This decision reflected the needs of the local communities; presumably to allow all members of the community, not just those with boats, to gain access to reef resources for gleaning and fishing. Alternatively, co-management arrangements could be developed that essentially pass management of the resources to the communities themselves, allowing them to develop management systems along the lines of those that are proving successful in other areas of Indonesia [41], [62]. The KNP authority has coupled fisheries and conservation objectives to promote co-management that involves communities in both income generation and enforcement programs.…”

Panglima Laot: His Legacy and Role in Conserving Marine Resources in Aceh, Indonesia

“…The Panglima Laot institution continued to live and flourish during the period of Aceh's Kingdom from the 17th Century to the present [6]. According to Wilson and Linkie, despite existing for more than seven centuries, Panglima Laot is still relevant as a source of local wisdom that still manifests itself in Aceh in the field of marine management [31].…”

Ensuring local stakeholder support for marine conservation: establishing a locally-managed marine area network in Aceh

“…To obtain the support of the coastal community the project acknowledged the importance of working with the Panglima Laot and, as has proven to be successful elsewhere in Aceh (Wilson & Linkie, 2012), this created an enabling environment for meaningful community participation. Another encouraging aspect of the project was the eagerness of all communities to bring neighbouring communities into discussions over boundary demarcation, thus resolving in advance any disputes between neighbouring communities regarding overlapping boundaries.…”