The Sustainability of Coastal Community Livelihood after Three Decades of Fish Auction Port: A Sustainable Livelihood Framework

Abstract As natural resources are the mainstay for coastal communities, the government in Jember built the Puger Fish Auction Port which is more than 30 years old as the biggest fish auction facility within the area. Nevertheless, this infrastructure did not lead to an increase in marine catch production in Jember, negatively impacting the local campaigns. This research analyses the resilience of coastal communities livelihoods in the Puger area, Jember Province, Indonesia, within the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF). Data was obtained from in depth key informant interviews, observational fieldwork and government documents before being interpreted in relation to relevant policies and patterns using The Pentagonal Assets of SLF. It was established that Physical Capital has the highest sustainability index of 68.87%, while Natural Capital comes last with 30.71%. Even though a lot of infrastructure was developed through the construction of the fish auction port, these findings clearly indicate that community livelihood sustainability is under threat from a diminishing natural resource base, widening income gaps and inequality therefore urging for a more integrated planning and development strategies upon contradictions growth.