With bamboo and a fishing line, the Inka mina boat belonging to Yusuf’s fishing group catches skipjack tuna in Tidore waters. Yusuf fisher group is one of the fishermen in Maluku who still maintains the Huhate technique. The fishing technique is a fishing technique originating from most parts of Eastern Indonesia. The Huhate method (Skipjack Pole and line) catches skipjack tuna. The huh fishing method is classified as sustainable because no small fish captures, and it does not cause damage to the coral as with the use of nets and trawlers.
To support the Huhate fishing method, the front of the Huhate boat has been modified as a seat for fishing, a fish hold, a place to store live fish, an air circulation system, a pump and hose to spray water, and the boat deck to drop the caught fish. The crew’s preparations for the fishing process were preparing food supplies, the availability of clean water, the purchase of ice cubes to cool the fish, the practice of fishing gear, and the purchase of bait in the form of live fish.
The fishing trips can last 6 to 7 days. The crew members are used to eating, drinking, bathing and resting on board. Their activities also take place collectively. Fishing usually takes place during the day. Small fish are thrown into the sea to direct the fish towards the boat, while water is sprayed around the ship to trick the fish. The fishermen threw the fish into the ship deck using bamboo rods. Throwing fish must be done as quickly as possible so that the movement of the fish can follow the bait towards the bow of the boat. Water bubbles and seagulls indicate Huhate fishermen’s ability to find fish locations.
In their daily, the ship’s crew usually consume the fish they catch, such as cob and other fish caught on the way. Rice and Hula Keta are the foods that Yusuf’s crew typically eat on the way. Hula Keta is Tidore traditional food as a rice substitute. Hula Keta was made from the essential ingredients of sago (cassava extract), which has been baked in a mould. Hula Keta is eaten by the crew using fish.
Yusuf fishermen group is very concerned about sustainability in their fishing activities. To ensure the marine ecosystem’s stability must be supported by sustainably taking fish, not taking small fish and damaging coral reefs. According to Yusuf, large foreign vessels are a concern for local fishermen. Because the trawls used also take small fish and damage coral reefs. Marine ships with GPS technology and the latest fish tracking also have the potential to threaten the source of income and the sustainability of marine biota in Maluku waters.