Performance of Floating Chart in Utilization of Small Pelagic Fish Resources in Makassar Strait Waters, Donggala, Central Sulawesi

Small-scale capture fisheries are important for utilizing small pelagic fish resources and sustaining coastal livelihoods. This study analyzes the effects of fishermen’s capabilities and operational effectiveness on small pelagic fish resource utilization and floating lift net performance in the Makassar Strait waters off Sabang Village, Balaesang District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. A quantitative explanatory approach with a cross-sectional design was employed. Primary data were collected from 300 fishermen directly involved in floating lift net operations using a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS. The results show that fishermen’s capabilities positively affect operational effectiveness, resource utilization, and floating lift net performance. Operational effectiveness positively affects resource utilization but has no significant direct effect on floating lift net performance at the 5% level. Resource utilization positively affects performance and serves as a key mediating mechanism linking fishermen’s capabilities and operational effectiveness to performance. The model explains 42.5% of the variance in floating lift net performance. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening fishermen’s capabilities, improving operational effectiveness, and promoting productive, selective, and sustainable resource utilization.