LINI is partnering with Blue Ventures, a UK-based conservation NGO, to begin implementation of the octopus Fishery Improvement study in Banggai Laut Regency, in the Province of Central Sulawesi. This new Regency was established in 2013, and includes islands that were formerly part of Banggai Kepulauan Regency.
The octopus is an important fishery for the local Bajo communities, whose livelihoods depend entirely on the catch and sale of marine resources. The fishers search for octopus on the reefs surrounding Banggai Laut using traditional handlines and artificial lures made from wood and aluminium. The project aims to understand the impact of the fishery on the reef ecosystems, to address the lack of data and information about the octopus fishery in the Banggai Laut area, and to build the capacity of local stakeholders to develop their own small scale octopus fisheries management program.
The project starts with the Bajo communities in Popisi village in North Banggai, and the study will be expanded to include other villages in the Banggai Laut District.