Fishermen's Safety Net in Palu Bay: Collective Biofloc Boats and Ponds of the Palu Bay Fishermen's Union (SNTP)

The Palu Bay Fishermen's Union (SNTP) is an organization whose members are traditional fishermen and coastal communities of Palu Bay. Every day, they rely on small boats measuring 4-6 meters with ketinting engines and simple fishing gear such as trawls and fishing rods. However, limited fishing gear and unpredictable weather conditions are major challenges for their economy.

Since 2021, SNTP has initiated the Advanced Village Agrarian Reform (DaMaRA) program to strengthen the organization and increase the economic independence of fishermen. This program aims to organize a collective resource management system in Panau Village. Along the way, SNTP realized the need for more efforts to improve the shared economy. With the support of the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding, they implemented a program to strengthen the fishermen's economy and training to increase the capacity of young fishermen and fisherwomen in Panau Village, Tawaeli District, Palu City, Central Sulawesi

As part of this program, SNTP has five boats managed collectively. So far, fishermen have been fishing individually with small boats. Collective boats will be used in turns by members, two fishermen per boat can go to sea together, and fishing can also be done at night because the boats are equipped with generator-powered lighting. This system is expected to increase the catch and welfare of union members.

In addition, direct funding is also used to build freshwater fish farming ponds with a biofloc system. This 4x6x1,2 meter pond can accommodate 2.000-3.000 fish. The biofloc farming system utilizes clumps of organisms (biofloc) to filter organic matter from water and turn it into food for fish. So it can maintain water quality and reduce operational expenses for feed

The collective management model of biofloc ponds is a safety net for fishermen, especially amidst the uncertainty of weather due to climate change, where weather, currents, and waves are increasingly unpredictable. Part of the profits from the pond harvest are allocated to support the union's operations.

In addition, SNTP provides training to the younger generation of SNTP member fishermen on agrarian reform and economic business innovation so that the organization remains sustainable. Groups of female fishermen who are members of SNTP are also trained to process fish farming results into value-added products such as fish chips, crackers, and dimsum.

The younger generation of fishermen also increasingly understand the importance of agrarian reform and have the skills to develop community-based businesses. Now, fisherwomen who previously only supported their husbands in preparing to go to sea, have a more active role in supporting the family economy by producing and marketing processed fish products. Meanwhile, fisherwomen are increasingly taking a stronger role in creating alternative sources of income for their families. What SNTP has built is not only strengthening the economic resilience of Panau fishermen, but also building solidarity and independence for the future.