REPOSITORY ON COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS:
BRIDGING ARTISTIC, SCIENTIFIC AND COMMUNITY-LED PRACTICES I N THE RIAU ARCHIPELAGO

A published article in Nature journal states the importance of mangroves in supporting the estimated growth of 700 billion young fish and invertebrates globally. 4.1 million fishers are also estimated to be dependent on these ecosystems as a source of livelihood, a large majority of whom are from Asia.  

In Pengudang Village in the sub-district of Teluk Sebong on Bintan island, many of the villagers still fish in the mangrove forests as a source of livelihood. Pak Awalludin, or as he introduced himself, Pak Udin, is one of the fishers who grew up in the village. He remembers the mangrove rivers as a childhood playground. He recalls: “It's been a habit since we were little. So, from the age of seven or eight, we were playing in the river and swimming."

One of the more common fish he finds in the mangroves is the catfish, a group of medium-sized fish that likes to swim and feed on the bottom sediments of the river. Other common catch includes: udang (prawns) hiding underneath leaves in shallow ponds, lokan (mangrove clams) partially submerged in the mangrove mud, kijing in the sandy segments of the river. 

To catch udang, he still prefers to use a traditional fishing tool called the “tanjul” he makes himself. Made up of a coconut leaf stick, sewing thread, and a small piece of wire, this special fishing tool hooks prawns by their eyes.  

His favourite is still finding the crabs because they sell for a good price in the market. There are always cues that tell Pak Udin where he can find certain animals. As for finding crabs, he shares: “Kepiting bakau itu senang buat lubang-lubang, kita lihat dari sisi itu.”  

Another indicator Pak Udin looks for is alur - a channel where the water depth is deeper, and the current slightly stronger. At low tide, due to little water in the river, small fish and prawns like to play in such channels.  

Over the years, he has observed some changes. Rivers that he remembered were once deep enough to swim across have become narrower, making it more difficult for him to spot shrimps and small fish. He attributes this to a few reasons: heavy rains washing soil into the mangrove streams, plastic waste caught in the roots of the tree trapping more sediment, and large Rhizophora trees, whose stilt roots help stabilize coastlines, also trap sediments. These factorscause riverbeds to rise, causing water in that area to be shallower over time.  

In the following video, Pak Udin shares how important mangroves are to him, and the changes he has observed over time.