An economic analysis of blast fishing on Indonesian coral reefs

Characteristics, impacts and economic costs and benefits of blast fishing h ave been little investigated and they were therefore studied in Indonesia, at the scale of individual fishing households and of Indonesian society as a whole. Although illegal and highly destructive to coral reefs, blast fish ing provides income and fish to a vast number of coastal fishers who claim that they have no alternative to make a living. Crew members in small-, med ium- and large-scale blast fishing operations earned net incomes per month of US$55, 146 and 197 respectively. Boat owners in the same types of operat ions earned US$55, 393 and 1100 respectively. These incomes were comparable to the highest incomes in the conventional coastal fisheries. At the indiv idual household level, the differences between the three types of operation s show clear incentives for scale enlargement. The cost-benefit balance at the society level was calculated with an economic model. This analysis show ed a net loss after 20 years of blast fishing of US$306 800 per km(2) of co ral reef where there is a high potential value of tourism and coastal prote ction, and US$33 900 per km(2) of coral reef where there is a low potential value. The main quantifiable costs are through loss of the coastal protect ion function, foregone benefits of tourism, and foregone benefits of non-de structive fisheries. The economic costs to society are four times higher th an the total net private benefits from blast fishing in areas with high pot ential value of tourism and coastal protection. This analysis of characteri stics, impact and economics of blast fishing should help to raise the polit ical will to ban blast fishing from Indonesian waters. Moreover, it allows for an evaluation of possible management solutions, taking into account the ir costs and the socio-economic framework that caused coastal fishers to st art using explosives.