An Era of Rapid Change Many artisanal fishing communities around the world had, with good reason, remained virtually unchanged in their way of fishing and use of technology for generations.  The past twenty years has seen the loss of or sidelining of many sustainable practises.  Passive, selective and seasonal fishing practises had ensured sustainable food and livelihood security for hundreds of thousands of fishing communities around the world.  At the same time they made significant contributions to national food security.

			Industrialized Competition Today we see industrial scale fisheries depleting, even threatening to extinguish, many fish stocks through the use of active, non-selective year-round gears and excessive use of energy.  In order to compete the artisanal fishery has been forced to motorise their craft and venture ever further afield taking more risk with the weather and seasons than ever before.

			Population Pressure In Indonesia fisher communities are amongst the poorest and the least educated. Family planning has been overshadowed by the generally accepted assumption that more children means more unpaid support for fishing activities and a better chance of family support through old age. A long history of high infant mortality rates drive this desire for children even though health care has improved and more children are surviving. Fisher communities are growing and hence the demand on all resources has increased to the point of environmental degradation and overfishing. This has pressured artisanal fishermen to venture further offshore in undecked boats never designed for that purpose.

			Loss of Traditional Skills Many skills, experience, safe practises and self reliance of the elders has been neglected, eroded or lost to the younger generation of fishers often superficially empowered (and indebted) by their ownership of fast outboard motor driven craft.  Nowhere is this more apparent than in attention to safety at sea where the basic ingredients of survival at sea that had been observed by their grandfathers are often tragically neglected.

			Lack of Training & Appropriate Fleet Management In the mechanised sector very poor safety standards are applied, there is not a long history of handling mechanised craft and skills are short supply.  Mechanised craft are often handled by "drivers" with little skilled practical training or sea experience.

			Poor Implementation of Safety Rules Design, construction and maintenance of such crucial details as freeing ports on decks, watertight integrity of the hull and deck openings, robustness and security of steering gear, are not understood by builders, owners or crews.  Engines and pumps whilst they may operate tolerably well in calm seas are invariably poised for disaster in a crisis.  The carrying of any, let alone adequate, safety equipment is rare. Basic intuitive knowledge of craft stability, which should be understood by any seafarer or boat builder is woefully lacking.  The systems for ensuring any of these matters are addressed are inadequate and often lack personnel with the skills, experience or support to implement them.

			Project Objectives Safety at sea in the artisanal fisheries and for the crews requires urgent review and attention. This project will not attempt to tackle the issues via "top down" government regulation and policing as this has always failed in the region. Our aim is to demonstrate to the fishermen and their families that a combination of safe boats and training in safety practices will bring them both short term income and long term security.  We contend that once fisherfolk have experienced the benefits in the field, safety rules and good practice will become a manageable task for government agencies to regulate.

			CHOOSE AREA FOR THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATE NW ACEH COAST TELOS ISLANDS MEULABOH SIMEULEU CHOOSE AREA FOR THE LATEST IMAGE WAVE FORECAST NW ACEH COAST TELOS ISLANDS MEULABOH SIMEULEU