Globalization of the fishing industry: It’s impact on the fishing communities of the coastal area of Makassar City, Indonesia

Fishing activities on the coastal areas of Makassar City has contributed toward the household income and social interactions of the local fisherfolks. This article has two objectives which firstly, aims to discuss the development of fishing industry at the macro level and its implication on issues of development and underdevelopment especially toward the livelihood of the fishing communities here; the second objective examines the economic factors that influence decision making processes among producers, especially related to the fish-export markets and its impact towards the income of the small-scale fishermen. Both secondary and primary data obtained for this study is based on field research which had been conducted in Makassar City. Social stratification formed among the fisher folks and the fishing entrepreneurs in Makassar City had placed the small-scale fishermen at the lower rung of the fishing production, while the middlemen that have access and control of the marketing channels are considered the patron of the fishing industry here and usually of a higher social status. In addition, globalization has an impact which further accentuate the social and economic inequality of the fishing industry, thus, an inevitable indication that the development of the entire fishing communities in Makassar City is still deform.