Fishing at the Edge of Recruitment: Larval Harvesting Using Traditional Siru-siru Net and its Implication for Fisheries Management

The capture of small pelagic fish larvae, practiced for several decades using the light fishing gear Siru-siru, primarily targets individuals from the flexion to post-flexion stages.The fishery has received little scientific attention and remains largely unmanaged.This study examines the fishing activities for capturing small pelagic fish larvae and to evaluate larval recruitment in tropical coastal regions of Ambon bay.Samples were collected in Ambon bay from 2022-2025, divided in two periods of sampling.The success rate of larval fish capture was only 50%, and this success was influenced by lunar phase, light intensity, and fishing duration.However, the recruitment of larvae into the bay also played a critical role in determining capture success.The results of this study indicate that larval recruitment into the bay occurred as a result of eastward and southward currents that facilitated larval inflow, combined with tidal movements that helped supply food and nutrients to the larvae during specific lunar phases.The findings highlight that siru-siru net, while culturally embedded and economically vital for small-scale fishers, may pose significant threats to larval fish populations and early-life trophic networks due to its low selectivity and non-standardized use.It emphasizes the urgent need for empirical field studies, conservation, and adaptive management policies to ensure the sustainability of Siru-siru fishery.