The Low level of Sustainability of Fishing Households Livelihood Assets Around Marine Conservation Areas

. The sustainability of coastal community livelihood assets is very relevant to efforts to develop the blue economy. This research aims to determine the sustainability of fishing household livelihood assets on the coast of marine conservation areas. The research locations are in three coastal villages in the marine conservation area of the eastern region of Bintan Island, Riau Island Province of Indonesia. This research uses a survey method with a quantitative descriptive approach. The research results show that, in general, the development of marine conservation areas in the eastern region has not had a significant impact on increasing the sustainability of the livelihood assets of the surrounding community. Of the five assets measured, only physical assets showed the best level of sustainability, namely 83%. Meanwhile, the other four assets indicate a low level of sustainability, namely human resource assets (42%), social assets (42%), financial assets (23%) and natural assets (29%). The low level of sustainability of the four livelihood assets has implications for increasing pressure on natural resources and conflicts of interest in conservation areas, as well as increasing community vulnerability to climate change. It is necessary to study management models that can increase the sustainability of community livelihood assets.


Introduction
Conservation area management is one aspect of sustainable and environmentally sound development.Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been recognized as an essential management tool for marine and coastal ecosystems in recent decades [1].The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), through Ministerial Decree No. 18 of 2022, has established a conservation area in the eastern waters of Bintan Island [2].The purpose of development is essentially to improve the welfare and prosperity of society.Meanwhile, "sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the current generation without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.One of the critical points is sustainable livelihoods.The livelihood in question consists of the capabilities, assets, and activities necessary for a means of living.Especially for Fishers who depend on living around marine protected areas, they certainly expect a positive impact with the designation of the eastern waters of Bintan Island as a conservation area.
The sustainable livelihood approach is a way of thinking about the purpose, scope, and prioritization of development activities.Based on evolving thinking about how poor and vulnerable people live and the importance of policies and institutions.It helps formulate development activities that are people-centered, responsive and participatory, multi-tiered and undertaken in partnership with the public and private sectors, dynamic and sustainable [3][4][5].
However, various challenges and problems must be faced to realize this goal.Among them are the sometimes conflicting roles in resource management in conservation areas between provincial and district governments, private companies, related stakeholders, and local communities.It may affect the sustainable livelihood assets of fisher households due to the decline of small-scale fishers' resources, income, and welfare levels.Sustainable livelihoods are suitable for studying this issue because it puts the community at the center.In this context, for their survival and livelihood, Fishers rely on various livelihood assets such as natural and environmental resources, social assets, financial assets, and human resources such as accessible education and physical infrastructure resources.In addition, fishers need various assets to achieve positive livelihood outcomes.
The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) is a method to analyze and transform the lives of people experiencing poverty and disadvantage.It is a participatory approach based on recognizing that all people have abilities and assets that can developed to help them improve their lives.Therefore, this research is the first step in approaching the concept of sustainable livelihoods, namely the need to know the current livelihood assets of Fishers living around the marine protected area in the eastern region of Bintan Island.The study's results can serve as a reasonable basis for livelihood mechanisms in revitalizing coastal villages located around conservation areas.
Therefore, the main question in this study is how to map the sustainable livelihood assets owned by fisher and non-fisher households around marine protected areas in the eastern region of Bintan Island.The discussion in this study can be formulated as (1) to identify sustainable livelihood assets of Fishers and non-Fisher households living in villages around marine protected areas in the eastern region of Bintan Island, (2) to analyze the sustainability of livelihood assets of Fishers and non-Fishers households living in villages around marine protected areas in the eastern region of Bintan Island.

Time and Area of Study
This research was conducted from April to November 2023.The location of this research was three villages on the east coast of Bintan Island, Riau Islands Province, namely Teluk Bakau Village, Malang Rapat Village, and Berakit Village.

Population and Sample of Fishers and Non-Fisher Households
The population in this study were Fishers and non-Fishers households living around the eastern marine conservation area of Bintan Island, namely Teluk Bakau Village, Malang Rapat Village, and Berakit Village.Sample size calculation using the formula [6]: The results of the sample size calculation are shown in the following Table 1.Living conditions, vehicle ownership, road access conditions, sanitation access conditions, production equipment, distance to workplace Source: Modified from DFID [7] Then, the visualization of the pentagon radar diagram depicts the results of the assessment of livelihood assets for each variable with weighted values and weighted amounts from interviews with respondents.Each questionnaire answer then has a score of 1 to 5, assuming that the greater the score, the greater the livelihood assets [8].
To find out the percentage of answers given by respondents using the formula: T x Pn (2) Description: T: Total number of respondents who chose Pn: Likert score number options All the results in (2) were summed up, and then the scores were interpreted using the formula: Y = highest Likert score x number of respondents (3) X = lowest Likert score x number of respondents (4) The final solution is done with the formula: Index Formula % = Total Score / Y x 100 (5) The interval for interpretation of the % index using the formula: I = 100 / total score (6) Then = 100 / 5 = 20 (the interval is the distance from the lowest 0% to the highest 100%) Very good Source: [9] 3 Results and Discussion

General Information of Research Area
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia, in 2022, has designated the sea waters of the eastern region of Bintan Island as a marine conservation area in Indonesia.This conservation area includes all the biological and non-biological natural resources in the surrounding area.Various tourism activities are also carried out in this conservation area.
The water conservation area in Bintan Islands plays an important role in protecting the marine biodiversity of the region and promoting sustainable tourism Berakit Village, Teluk Sebong Sub-district is located in the administrative area of Bintan Regency with an area of 53.25 km 2 Distance from the village office to the sub-district ± 60 km to the district assets ranges from ± 35 km and the provincial assets ± 65.Administratively, Berakit Village, Malangrapat Village, and Teluk Bakau Village border the South China Sea and are close to Singapore and Malaysia.

Sustainability Livelihood Assets
The percentage categories of the sustainability of livelihood assets of fisher and non-fisher households are shown in the following Table 4.The livelihood asset pentagon of fisher and non-fisher households is shown below (Figure 2.).

Figure 2. Pentagon Asset Income of Fisher and Non-Fisher Households in the Three Villages
The overall sustainability level of human assets in fisher and non-fisher households shows the same percentage of 42%, so both are in the moderate category.In natural assets, the percentage of sustainability level in Fisher households is higher than that of non-Fisher households, with 29% in the unfavorable category and 16% in the very unfavorable category.In financial assets, the percentage of sustainability level in Fisher households is lower than that of non-Fisher households with 23% and 25% respectively and both are in the unfavorable category.In social assets, the percentage of sustainability level in Fisher households is higher compared to non-Fisher households with a percentage of 42% in the moderate category and 35% in the unfavorable category.In physical assets, the percentage of sustainability level in Fisher households is lower than that of non-Fisher households with 83% and 89% respectively and both are in the excellent category.
Fisher households have the same percentage as non-fisher households in human assets at 42%.Fisher households have a higher percentage of natural assets at 29% and social assets at 42%.In comparison, non-fisher households have a higher percentage in financial assets at 25% and in physical assets at 89%.
Generally, the overall sustainability level based on livelihood assets is highest among non-fisher households with a percentage of 89% in physical assets and lowest at 16% among non-fisher households in natural assets.Table 5 shows the scoring results, which describe the condition of livelihood assets in the three research location villages.

Human Assets
In human assets, the indicators used for assessment are the family's health condition in the last year based on the Ministry of Health's indicators, the education level of family members, occupational expertise training, and special skills possessed.In these assets, both Fisher and non-fisher households are at the medium level of sustainability category, which can occur due to the low level of education of the family, both the head of the family, wife, and family members.Most of the last education of the family head and wife is elementary school graduation or no schooling.In contrast to the family members in the younger generation, most of them have graduated from high school or even university, but the number is deficient.The availability of educational infrastructure within the village is also one of the reasons why it is affordable for the younger generation to attend school.Family members do not have to travel far to reach school.
In addition, the low value of human assets can also be attributed to the fact that the community is not exposed to training that can improve occupational skills.Only a small number of family members have participated in trainings organized by the national or village government.The low value of human assets in this indicator could be due to a lack of information on training events or a lack of enthusiasm from families to participate, so the people who are often involved in training are always the same families.
Some housewives also have skills such as sewing and baking, which, although few in number, can be an asset or opportunity to support the family's sustainability when the head of the family is unable to go to work to earn a living.However, unfortunately, these housewives admitted they did not want to pursue this.Some housewives are also seen to have plants in the yard, such as chili peppers, that can be used for daily needs to save the family budget.
Health infrastructure facilities in each village make the indicators of family health conditions based on the Ministry of Health, both for Fisher and non-Fisher households, affordable.Homemakers are very supportive of health programs provided by the government, such as participating in family planning programs, complete child immunization, exclusive breastfeeding, and monitoring the growth of toddlers.
This sustainability category in human assets shows the same level as that of the eastern coastal communities of Bali Island, where the level of sustainability is equally moderate [10].In contrast, another study also conducted in Malangrapat Village in 2014 by conducting a questionnaire survey aimed at Fisher households headed by women showed the results of human resource assets that did not show sustainability [11].
Human assets indicate a person's ability to gain better access to their livelihood conditions [12].As the most important assets in livelihood that enables people to implement livelihood strategies and achieve their livelihood goals, human assets is also required to cultivate the other four livelihood assets [13].Thus, the low value of human assets can affect the quality of human resources in the surrounding community and hamper the surrounding community's economic and social development [14].Research conducted in Indonesia shows that low human assets distribution can affect economic growth between regions in Indonesia and the determinants of human assets quality [15], so sustainability cannot be created.

Natural assets
In natural assets, the indicators used for assessment are productivity in one month, type and ownership status of Fisher fleet, and land area and ownership status.Fisher households are at the unfavorable category level in these assets and are unsustainable for non-fisher households.
The difference in categories between households is because, in Fisher households, a few families own land for plantation to produce food other than fishery products.A small number of other families also own vacant land, but unfortunately, the soil on coastal land is not very fertile and some areas are rocky, making it unsuitable for planting.Some families who own vacant land also need help obtaining land certificates because the location is close to the company's land.
In fisher households, the fleet used to catch fish is mostly motorless boats to boats <5 GT.Ownership is primarily private, so fisher households can enjoy the total catch and profit because they do not need to pay rent or share the proceeds with the intermediaries.Some boat ownership is also obtained from assistance provided by the government.
In contrast, the level of sustainability of community livelihoods on Cawan Island and in Bekawan Village, Mandah District, Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province, found results with the sustainability level category being good for Cawan Island and very good for Bekawan Village.The mangrove area in Bekawan is still maintained compared to Cawan Island, so biodiversity in the Bekawan area is more numerous and diverse.It is known that mangroves are a place of life and food source for several types of animals generally such as galah shrimp, bajang shrimp, rock shrimp, KB shrimp, tiger shrimp, and other types of high economic value fish that can be caught by Fisher [16].
These natural assets are natural resources that can be managed by human life and affect their lives [7].Natural assets are one of the most essential assets in sustainable livelihood assets because natural assets have a crucial role in maintaining the sustainability of human life and the surrounding environment.Such as the essential role of natural assets as natural resources that can be utilized to meet the needs of human life, such as fisheries and land [14].
Sustainable management of natural assets can be done by paying attention to sustainability principles in natural asset management, such as efficient and environmentally friendly use of natural resources and maintaining a balance between the use of natural resources and environmental sustainability [17].

Financial assets
In terms of financial assets, the indicators used for assessment are the average family income in a month, ownership of savings and investments, and access to loans/debt.In this assets, both Fisher and non-Fisher households are at the very poor level of sustainability category.
The low level of sustainability of these two households is because the dominant household needs to have valuable savings or investments at any time when there is a sudden need.A household does not have savings because their needs are more significant than their income.The average income of the two households is below Rp. 3,000,000, and it is not uncommon for the wife to help the head of the household to work in the city or open a rice stall on the side of the road.
Research on the level of sustainability conducted on coffee farmers in Medowo Village, Kandangan District, Kediri Regency found that the sustainability of financial assets was in the low category.The low level of financial assets sustainability indicates that access to financial resources is limited to more than one source among three financial resources.It indicates that households are financially limited in fulfilling their lives [18].
Most families have access to bank loans, and some families have loans from the Government Bank, but many families want to avoid getting a loan from the Bank because they have an urgent need.Some households borrow money from tauke because they are familiar with them and do not need collateral, or even the disbursement is speedy and easy to get at that time, so it is suitable for urgent needs.Another reason is that some households can only access loans in the village.
Financial assets are financial resources that can be utilized and used by the community to achieve its livelihood goals.These include reserves or inventories owned by themselves and financial institutions and in the form of routine funds [7].

Social assets
In social assets, the indicators used for assessment are the level of family welfare, kinship relationships established, participation in community organizations, and social networks and sources of information.In these assets, fisher households are at a moderate category level, and sustainability is unsuitable for non-fisher households.
On the indicator of family welfare level, a small number of households have been independent, and some have received the Family Hope Program (PKH), Non-Cash Food Assistance Program (BPNT), or electricity subsidies.However, some families feel that they need assistance from the government but are never given it.After an interview with the village, it has proposed households that will receive assistance, such as PKH.However, the distribution on behalf of the recipient households who get the assistance is the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The kinship relationships between households are also quite close, and most relationships extend beyond the village.Unfortunately, participation in organizations is still lacking, as it is not uncommon for families not to participate in organizations.Even for Fisher organizations registered at the Village Office, many fishers need to learn about them and participate in them.Some housewives also consider that they have never been involved in any organization in the village.However, families do not often refuse to be involved in an organization because they do not want to be tied to any organization.Social networks and sources of information are robust, as all information can be easily accessed at the tip of a finger.Important information from the village can also be passed on to neighbors or through WhatsApp.
Social assets are the power to make a living through social networks and attachments [12].The assessment of social assets in Purwakerti Village, located on the east coast of Bali Island, is in the same category as the sustainability level of fishers' households.In general, the score of social assets in the village is in the medium classification.Considering this shows that social assets are not in a bad condition, but it can say that they are still not optimal/good [10].
By improving the quality of human resources, communities can have the skills and knowledge needed to develop the economic and social environment.Social assets can also increase community participation in decision-making and implementation of development programs.By actively involving the community, development programs can be more targeted and sustainable.Social assets can also help increase social solidarity in the neighborhood [19].By improving the quality of human resources, communities can have the skills and knowledge needed to develop the economic and social environment.Social assets can also increase community participation in decision-making and implementation of development programs.By actively involving the community, development programs can be more targeted and sustainable.Social assets can also help increase social solidarity in the neighborhood [17].By having solid social solidarity, communities can help and support each other in facing various challenges and problems.In addition, social assets also play an essential role in food stability in maritime villages in the coastal areas of Bintan Regency [20].
Reciprocal relationships that only occur in one sector can lead to a deficient and short social network because it depends only on one sector.As is the case with the social network found in Fisher households in Pulau Mapur, it included the small and outer islands of Riau Islands Province, and food accessibility shows the same pattern from all identified communities and a strong reciprocal relationship with 'Patron.' So, the 'Patron' is an intermediary and central role connecting many entities and activities to meet the community's needs.Dependence on rice aid from the government and indebtedness to 'Patrons' is also extreme [21].Extensive social networks are indispensable in the sustainability of household livelihoods.Government intervention through food policies and institutional strengthening can be critical in assisting this.

Physical Assets
In physical assets, the indicators used for assessment are the condition of the residence, ownership status of the house/residence, ownership of a private vehicle, road access conditions, water access conditions, and sanitation facility access conditions.Both fisher and non-fisher households are at the excellent category level in these assets.Physical assets have the highest score compared to other household assets (Fisher and non-Fisher).
Because most of the dwellings are permanent houses, and the government has promoted certificate assistance to the community, the community already has a certificate of ownership for their land and buildings and a certificate of use rights for buildings located above the sea.Some households also do not have certificates but have applied for and are waiting for certificates to be issued.
On average, each household has one or more privately owned motorized vehicles.Road access conditions are also perfect, with asphalt on the main roads and some minor roads in the alleys.There are also small roads in the alleys with paving blocks, and they are in good condition.Road conditions are also very rarely flooded or even never flooded in some locations.
All households have access to clean water, with some communities having wells and others subscribing to piped water.Some locations where the well water is brackish use MCK; households buy refilled water or transport water from other wells far from the shoreline for daily consumption.Access to sanitation facilities is also privately owned by most households.The improvement of physical assets relates to the willingness of individuals (households) as those who need and experience infrastructure services to be responsible for maintaining infrastructure for sustainability [13].
It is different with physical assets located on Cawan Island and in Bekawan Village, Mandah District, Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province, finding results with the category of sustainability level is moderate for Cawan Island and suitable for Bekawansan Village.Physical assets are owned by a household or region in the form of infrastructure and other facilities used to maintain life [7].Infrastructure includes the development of a physical environment that can help people to be more productive in their lives [16].
Adequate physical access can also help improve access to infrastructure needed to support human life, such as roads, bridges, and transportation facilities [19].It can be done by building environmentally friendly infrastructure and paying attention to the surrounding community's needs.

Implications
Conservation areas are protected water areas managed using a zoning system to realize sustainable management of fish resources and their environment [22].One of the essential objectives of establishing marine conservation areas is to improve the welfare of communities around conservation areas by managing marine resources and the environment sustainably.The interest of local communities around conservation areas is an essential component that forms livelihood assets.Better claims will have implications for the success of realizing the water conservation goals.On the other hand, if livelihood assets show a low level of sustainability, this will also have negative implications for achieving conservation area management goals such as a decline in ecological conditions around conservation areas.This research recommends that future in-depth analysis be carried out regarding community involvement in managing marine conservation areas in the eastern region of Bintan Island to strengthen information and knowledge about the sustainability of local community livelihood assets as an essential goal of establishing conservation areas in this region.

Conclusion
The development of marine conservation areas can improve the sustainability of the livelihoods of the people around them, especially fishing households.This research concludes the importance of efforts to improve the livelihood assets of fishing households around conservation areas because four out of five livelihood assets (physical assets, human resources, social, financial, and natural) show a low level of sustainability.The implications of a low level of sustainability of livelihood assets can harm various aspects of people's lives, both economically, socially, and environmentally, especially in achieving the main objectives of conservation area management.
Overcoming the implications of the low sustainability of livelihood assets in fishing households in marine conservation areas requires various efforts, including increasing access to education and skills training, increasing access to health and social services, community empowerment, integrated natural resource management, and sustainability.
The researchers would like to thank Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji (UMRAH) through the Institute for Research and Community Service (LP2M) for funding this research and the relevant Bintan Regency Village Government for facilitating this research.

Table 1 .
Total Sample Size

Table 4 .
Percentage Comparison of Household Livelihood Assets Fishers and Non-Fishers

Table 5 .
Percentage Value of Livelihood Asset Sustainability of Households Fisher and Non-Fisher