Sustainability Status of Drift Bottom Gillnet in Maini Village, Tebing Tinggi Barat Subdistrict, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau Province

Abstract

Drift Bottom Gillnet is a traditional fishing gear that has been used for generations by fishing communities in Maini Village, Meranti Islands Regency. This study aimed to assess the sustainability status of kurau net fishery based on ecological, economic, and social dimensions using the RAPFISH (Rapid Appraisal for Fisheries) method. The research was conducted from on October 2025, in Maini Village. Primary data were collected through interviews with 12 respondents consisting of fishermen, fishing group leaders, agents, government officials, and academics. The RAPFISH analysis with Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) approach was used to evaluate sustainability across three dimensions. Results showed that the ecological dimension had a sustainability index of 43.15 (less sustainable), economic dimension 57.12 (fairly sustainable), and social dimension 53.83 (fairly sustainable). The most sensitive attributes in the ecological dimension were changes in sea conditions (RMS 4.79), fish size caught (RMS 3.02), and discard/bycatch (RMS 2.53). In the economic dimension, the most influential attributes were ownership of fishing gear and vessels (RMS 4.71), alternative income (RMS 4.53), and fish marketing (RMS 3.68). In the social dimension, the level of conflict (RMS 6.29), training and extension programs (RMS 5.12), and fishermen's understanding of sea conditions (RMS 3.91) were the most sensitive factors. The main threat to sustainability is water pollution from sago mill waste, which has caused decreased fish catches and habitat degradation. The study recommends strict supervision of sago industry waste, routine training programs for fishermen, strengthening fishermen's institutions, and implementing sustainable fishing practices.