Fishing Pattern and Harvest Control Rules of the Octopus (Octopus cyanea) Fishery in Flores Sea, Indonesia

The octopus (Octopus cyanea) fishery in the Flores Sea, Indonesia, supports local livelihoods and supplies not only domestic, but also international markets which require ecolabel certification. Nevertheless, insufficient data on fishing patterns and harvest strategies has impeded the fishery's eligibility for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel certification, highlighting a significant research gap. Validated data collection methods regarding catch and effort were acquired from octopus landings in Nangahale village, Sikka Regency, from 2020 to 2023. The analysis of catch per unit effort (CPUE) indicated stable stock abundance, with peak fishing seasons occurring between April–July and October–December. Two harvest control rule (HCR) models were assessed: the Schaefer surplus production model and the feedback HCR. Results demonstrated that the feedback HCR provided more adaptive and precise management recommendations, setting an allowable biological catch (ABC) of 7,880kg and an allowable biological effort (ABE) of 5,131 trips for 2024. The Schaefer model, typically applied in single-species fisheries, proved less effective in this small-scale, multi-gear, and data-limited context, as shown by a positive correlation between CPUE and fishing effort. These findings highlight the utility of feedback HCRs for managing small-scale, data-limited fisheries by enabling dynamic adjustments based on real-time stock assessments. While current fishing pressures in the Flores Sea have not resulted in overexploitation, continued adaptive management is essential to ensure sustainability. Future research should consider environmental variables and socio-economic factors to enhance HCR applications, thereby underlining the fishery's applicability to comparable cephalopod fisheries worldwide. These strategies are critical for maintaining long-term sustainability and aligning the fishery with international standards for MSC certification.