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

Pak Awalludin, or in short Pak Udin is a fisherman on the north-eastern coast of Bintan and lives in Pengudang village. Together with his wife Mariani, he also runs a small homestay by the sea. From the beach in front of his house, he goes out daily to fish in nearby waters, never too far from shore.

In the video, Pak Udin shares how closely fishing life is connected to coral reefs.

For him and other fishers in Pengudang, corals are essential. They are places where fish gather, making them important fishing grounds, but they also act as natural barriers that protect the coastline from strong waves. ‘’If there are corals, there will be fish,’’ he explains. This understanding is widely shared in the village. While destructive practices, such as blast fishing, may have occurred often in the past, many fishers today are more aware of the need to protect coral reefs as habitat for fish so they can continue to sustain in their own livelihoods.

At the same time, Pak Udin observes that the reefs have changed. Some coral areas that once existed are now covered by sand, which he attributes to erosion and sedimentation, especially during the strong waves of the north monsoon in the months between November and March. He also points to coastal and industrial development, where the loss of coastal mangroves, but also more land inward terrestrial trees, leads to more sediment being washed into the sea, covering and damaging corals.

Corals are not only places to find fish, but also points of orientation at sea. Fishers recognise coral areas through experience, using landmarks along the coast or reading the movement of currents. These places guide where they anchor, where they fish, and how they navigate safely.

Fishing knowledge is also shaped by the senses. Pak Udin recalls how elder fishers could detect the presence of fish by smell. Moving out to sea, they would sense a distinct, slightly fishy aroma in the air, a sign that large schools of fish were nearby. He remembers a friend, who once noticed this smell, but became frightened, thinking it might be a hantu laut. This term is used for places in the sea believed to be inhabited by spirits, often associated with large rocks, coral formations, or past shipwrecks. In reality, it meant there was an abundance of fish waiting to be caught.

These stories are part of a broader way of understanding the sea. Certain locations, especially those marked by rocks or coral structures, are still recognised as hantu laut and are approached with caution and respect. Such beliefs exist alongside practical fishing knowledge, shaping how fishers navigate, interpret, and relate to the marine environment.

For Pak Udin, fishing is not only work, it is a way of life. Even as conditions become more unpredictable, he continues to go out to sea, guided by experience, knowledge, and a deep connection to the marine environment.