Background: Transboundary fishing problems associated with illegal fishing and other fisheries-related crimes remain unresolved along the Australia and Indonesia border, despite the existence of information campaigns and law enforcement measures. Furthermore, illegal activities have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 650 Indonesian fishing vessels intercepted and 405 fishermen arrested by Australian authorities in the last 4 years. These continuously impact the marine and fisheries ecosystem, cause economic losses, disturb social sustainability, impact security and diplomacy, and put the Indonesian fishermen at high risk.
Aims: This research aims to develop a Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) framework as an integrated and comprehensive approach to enable sustainable transboundary fishing at the Australia-Indonesia border and address the underlying behavioural dynamics of transboundary fishing.
Method: Qualitative research will be conducted in the sub-district of Rote Timur, the District of Rote Ndao, and East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, as well as in Australia. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including the fishermen, middleman (fish traders who finance fishermen), local leaders, non-governmental organisations, and relevant local, state/territory, and federal government authorities in Indonesia and Australia. We will also use the ASFB conference as a platform to develop stakeholder networks. Thematic analysis will be developed to identify behavioural determinants, both internal and external driving forces, and modus operandi. The insight will inform the construction a socio-ecological SBCC model tailored to the transboundary fishing context.
Expected Results: Importantly, this presentation opportunity at ASFB will assist us to connect with relevant stakeholders in northern Australia and aid qualitative data collection. We will then explore the potential of SBCC to foster behavioural transformation by integrating socio-cultural values, historical dynamics, traditional fishing rights, and cross-border communication. This will create more sustainable and long-term behavioural change required in transboundary fishing.
Conclusion: Increasing illegal activities along the Australia and Indonesia border underscores the need to develop an innovative and behaviour-oriented approach based on the recent border situation. This study is expected to contribute a novel theoretical and practical perspective in adopting a SBCC framework and to ultimately achieve sustainability along the Australia-Indonesia border.