3. FIELD RESEARCH SURVEY

3.1 The Fishermen Development Area (FDA)

The concept of the Fishermen Development Area (FDAs)¹ was developed by LKIM due to recognition that development goals for fishing communities could be achieved in a most efficient manner through integrated approaches. There are presently 10 FDAs throughout the Peninsular (see Figure 1). All FDAs have similar development programmes laid out for them by LKIM; the major programme components concern modernization of the fishing fleet and ancillary fishing facilities, community development and aquaculture. A Fishermen's Development Centre (FDC) is established in each FDA as machinery to deal with administrative and technical matters concerning with their development programmes. Such an office is normally staffed by a manager and several development assistants.

¹ The size of FDA ranges from 30 to 50 miles along the coast line and from 2 to 5 miles inland, covering over two administrative districts.

Figure 1.

MALAYSIA

PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE FISHERIES IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

LKIM's development efforts are mainly focused on FDAs and new FDAs in other parts of the Peninsular are intended, eventually covering as many fishing communities as possible. The selection criteria of FDAs are (a) the high concentration of fishermen's households and (b) the potential for developing marine fishery and aquaculture basically from the viewpoint of resource availability, the presence of fishery infrastructure and the presence of suitable sites for aquaculture.

3.2 The Survey Areas

FDAs are those of the more important fisheries of the Peninsular, but at the same time FDAs contain more depressed fishing communities of the country with numerous poor fishermen whose per capita incomes are below the national average. For these reasons, and also because of the potential for development, FDAs were selected as the target areas to be surveyed by the TCP/MAL/4403. Within the FDA several of the larger and more important fishing communities were chosen for the survey in consultation with LKIM (See Appendix IV).

A total of 2,300 fishermen were interviewed in seven FDAs representing about 14% of fishermen residing in all FDAs and 25% in the selected FDAs. Of 2,300 respondents, about 60% were from the west coast.

3.3 Field Survey Methodologies

The field research upon which this report is based was carried out by a team of 12 members comprising two project staff members (i.e.Team Leader and Technical Assistant) of the TCP/MAL/4403 and 10 enumerators over a period of five months from March to July 1985. The field survey including the subsequent research analysis consisted of five phases.

* FDAs surveyed by the TCP/MAL/4403.

Stage One was to review and assess existing data and documentation as well as to identify the supporting requirements necessary for field investigation. A questionnaire to be used for the survey was prepared by the Project in collaboration with LKIM. The questionnaire was grouped into these sections, i.e. household socio-economic status, fishing background and a willingness to change occupation and/or the place of residence. The items of these sections were precoded for the purpose of computer tabulation.

Stage Two was to hold discussions with those concerned departments and agencies both at the central and state level regarding to the objectives and methods of the survey. During that occassion LKIM and TCP/MAL/4403 called for their full cooperation for the implementation of the survey as well as providing opportunities for relocation of eligible fishermen to be identified through field surveys. The major offices involved were the Agriculture Department, Economic Planning Unit, Fisheries Department, Veterinary Department, District Land Office, Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA), Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (FELCRA) and other state land development agencies such as KEJORA, KESEDAR, KETENGAH AND DARA. Also, a series of meetings were held with community leaders at the village level to brief them on the objectives, procedures and schedules of the survey. They were expected to transmit such messages to fishermen of their communities. In order to carry out the interviews more efficiently, the interested fishermen were requested to come to the designated venues for interviews (FDC office or village community halls were often used for this purpose).

Stage Three involved the conducting of interviews which lasted an average of 15 to 20 minutes per respondent. During the community leader meeting it was made clear that the survey would be for only those who were interested in changing their occupation. The result of the survey shows that of 2,300 fishermen interviewed, 1,998 respondents indicated their willingness to change their occupation. It can be safely said that the message was generally well transmitted to fishermen.

The major activities of Stage Four was processing the survey data by computer and the preparation of statistical tables required for the analysis of the survey. A list of fishermen who indicated their willingness to change occupation was prepared according to the preferred areas for secondary employment which included land development schemes, aquaculture, cottage industries, animal husbandry, manufacturing, agriculture and small business. The TCP/MAL/4403 presented a list of candidates to the departments and agencies concerned for their appropriate action. These were as follows: Land development agencies (1018), the Veterinary Department (136), the Ministry of Labour (253) for service industry, the Agriculture Department (34), and the State Economic Planning Unit (7) for manufacturing. 60 fishermen who were interested in aquaculture and 32 for fish processing will be taken care of by LKIM.

During Stage Five negotiations were carried out with the concerned offices with regard to the possibility of relocating identified fishermen into resettlement schemes implemented by them. A study tour was organized for the interested fishermen to visit FELDA projects to enable them to have a clear picture of land development schemes¹. During such occassions fishermen had an opportunity to talk with ex-fishermen settlers.

Stage Six was to prepare a detailed relocation project in target areas. The TCP/MAL/4403 formulated two proposals on the development of cage culture resettlement; one was to establish a new project involving 80 fishermen in Tumpat, Kelantan and the other was to strengthen the existing project at Sungei Merbok, Kedah.

¹ Refer Chapter 2, Section 2.4.5. and Chapter 4, Section 4.2.