Using the socio-ecological system approach to guide the management of sea cucumber fisheries at Barang Lompo Island, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Several sea cucumber species in Indonesia have been indicated as over-exploited. Fishers are catching sea cucumbers in deeper water and far away to obtain a sellable size. The social-ecological system (SES) approach is a multidisciplinary method that can help manage resources, including sea cucumbers. This study was conducted at Barrang Lompo Island and used the SES approach to investigate the connectivity between system ecology (sea cucumber resources) and social systems (fishers, collectors, marketing networks). Data were collected from October to November 2021 using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Respondents included 77 people, consisting of 52 fishers, 12 collectors at Barrang Lompo Island, and 13 exporters in Makasar City. The results indicate two types of fishers: daily and monthly. Daily fishers spend 6–9 h/day fishing sea cucumber, mainly at Langkai and Lanjukang Island (23%). Meanwhile, monthly fishers fish sea cucumbers between 30 and 40 days, mainly at Majene waters (37%) and Keramian Island (26%) The sea cucumber production on Barrang Lompo Island was 1,728 individuals/person/year (daily fishers) and 3.1–4.5 tons/fleet/ year (monthly fishers). Trading flow shows that fishers sold sea cucumbers to collectors on Barrang Lompo Island, and then collectors sold to exporters in Makasar City. Then exporters exported to domestic and international markets. The SES connectivity of the sea cucumber fishery was proven by the relationship between the resource (sea cucumber), resource user (fishers), and resource providers (collectors, exporters). Connectivity between resource and resource users gives a clue to the fishing hotspot. Meanwhile, connectivity between resource users and resource providers illustrated the massive exploitation of sea cucumbers. This connectedness between them can guide the conservation and sustainable use of sea cucumbers.