International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.38, 371-379
377
shops. In case of large distribution, fishes-caught have sold to large-scale distributors (Hitomi, 2009). Women are
also stayed on important contribution in regional revitalization for food supply. They involved in the most
important on “conversion” step from the fish-caught into the income or money. In Japan, housewives are
traditionally the manager of family’s finance. FCA women’s group members keep their books, and on the basis of
this give advice on fishing business management matters, and thus play an important role in helping improve
management of fishing households, particularly in small scale coastal fisheries sector. Further, women’s group
members have long been doing savings promotion campaign, and through this movement, contributed much to the
progress of FCA’s credit business development. In addition, they have been also actively engaged in insurance
subscription campaigns such as for fishing vessel insurance, fishery insurance, life insurance, and in other
activities, contributing to enhance FCA movement across the country.
Indirect marketing is taking the most part of fish marketing in Hiroshima Prefecture, which is operated by
Fisheries Cooperative Association (FCA). In Japan, the FCAs also provide additional services for fishermen and
the community, which is include input supplies, credit facilities, training, and other social services to support
various activities such as processing, handling and marketing (Schmidt, 2003). It may comprehensive approach
that has been done by FCA to minimize the conflict of interest among stakeholders in fisheries. In Akitsu, FCA
have been donated the land to Higashihiroshima City to constructed the building for direct market sales.
Up to present, indirect market is still fisheries main channels in rural area of Hiroshima Prefecture. Direct or
indirect marketing channel is selected by the type of fish and their products. Based on the above circumstances,
women of fishermen’s village can get their idea of consumer’s needs and also create their opinions.
2.3 Livelihood strategy of coastal community in two countries: Indonesia and Japan
Livelihood strategies are composed of various activities undertaken by households to generate livelihood,
generally adaptive over time, responding to opportunities and changing constraints (DFID, 1999). Developing
fisheries livelihood in two countries in Asia have different circumstances and different strategies. Based on the
above circumstances, women of fishermen’s village can get their idea of consumer’s needs and also create their
opinions. Indonesian coastal villages have more to conduct double strategy. It means fishermen conducted two
different livelihood activities by family anticipating for low fisheries season and/or off fisheries season. In
Hiroshima, fishermen spend more time for marketing through both direct and indirect channel by women which
improve their household income (Table 1). Allison and Ellis (2001) emphasized that diversification gave some
benefits, such as 1) reduces the risks of livelihood failure by spreading it across more than one income, 2)
overcome the uneven use of assets caused by seasonality, 3) reduce vulnerability, and 4) generate financial
resources in the absence of markets. In fact, alternative livelihoods, which are introduced to poor or small-scale
fishers, should bring more economic benefit by making their products more marketable. Livelihood diversification
might be combined with other resources (Siavanen et al., 2005).
Alternative livelihoods, which are introduced to poor or small-scale fishers, should bring more economic benefit
by making their products more marketable. In fact, however, in cases where a newly introduced livelihood is
considerably capital-intensive, the small-scale fishers could hardly start without any support. These businesses can
be developed through joint ventures between fishermen. They cooperate with other fishermen to solve problems
on limited financial capital.
Fishermen cannot depend on the fishing activity alone. They need additional income to fulfill the household needs.
Such as the case studies, referring to the study of the other researchers, seaweed potential in Laikang Bay can be
an alternative way to do double strategy. Family members also involved on fishery activities such as preparing
seaweed seed or making salted fish. In this study, seaweed culture is still interesting for people to increase their
income. Thus, seaweed culture has become main income source besides products from capture fisheries. The
result of analysis between several fisheries activities shows that seaweed culture is realistic choice for fishermen
to preserve their livelihoods. In term of livelihood strategies above mentioned, it was income from catching
cannot stand alone. Thus, fishermen need to ensure that marine product can be secure livelihood and resources by
shifting the pattern from catch to cultivation (Hitomi, 2009).
