RJOAS January 2025
by
Wardani Mentari Puspa, Supriyadi Supriyadi, Department of Fisheries and Marine Socio-Economics, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
Swantari Fatma Ari, Undergraduate Program of Socio-Economic Fisheries, Department of Fisheries and Marine Socio-Economics, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
The development of the marine tourism sector in the Karimunjawa Islands has shown significant growth in recent decades, marked by an increase in the number of tourist visits from 15,070 people in 2010 to 129,679 people in 2019. The transformation from a fisheries-based economy to a tourist destination has created complex socio-economic dynamics within the fishing community. This study aims to analyze the correlation between variables that affect fishermen's income in the Karimunjawa marine tourism area. Using a quantitative research method with a correlational approach, this study involved 56 fisher respondents selected through purposive sampling technique from a total population of 2,575 fishermen. Data analysis was conducted using the crosstab method with the Chi-Square test. The results depict a significant correlation between: (1) age and education level (χ2=22.429, p=0.001), with the younger generation having a higher education level; (2) age and fishing experience (χ2=30.494, p=0.000), with 81.6% of fishers aged >40 years having more than 20 years of fishing experience; (3) education level and working capital (χ2=15.232, p=0.019), reveal a positive correlation between education level and the ability to access greater capital; and (4) number of family dependents and household expenditure level (χ2=10.005, p=0.040), where the more family dependents the higher the expenditure level. It can be concluded that there is a significant socio-economic transformation in the Karimunjawa fishing community as the marine tourism sector develops. This study recommends the necessity for capacity building programs through education and training to support livelihood diversification, as well as the development of more accessible financing schemes to support fishermen's economic adaptation in the face of regional transformation.
The development of the marine tourism sector in the Karimunjawa Islands has shown significant growth in recent decades. The increase in the number of tourist visits, both domestic and foreign, is the main indicator of this transformation. The growth of tourism activities in Karimunjawa not only increases the number of visitors, but also affects the structure of the local economy, which previously depended more on fisheries catching (Destyananda et al., 2022). This is in line with research showing that marine tourism can be a promising alternative livelihood for coastal communities, including traditional fishers (Mamengko & Kuntari, 2021; Saragi, 2023). The transformation from a fisheries-based economy to a tourist destination has created complex socio-economic dynamics. This change not only impacts on income, but also on the social and cultural values of local communities (Seprandita et al., 2021). Research by (Qodriyatun, 2019) reveals that although tourism provides new opportunities, challenges also arise, such as changes in the lifestyle and work patterns of fishing communities. The average growth of local income from the tourism sector of 12.3% per year shows great potential, but also raises questions regarding the sustainability of traditional fishermen's livelihoods.
The Karimunjawa National Park area has abundant marine resources with high biodiversity. The area's coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove ecosystems serve as important habitats for a variety of fish species that have high economic value. According to research by Latuconsina, good management of marine resources is essential to ensure sustainability and economic benefits for local communities (Latuconsina, 2023). The existence of these resources has long been the livelihood of local fishing communities, where traditional fishing activities have been carried out for generations using various fishing gear adapted to water conditions (Yuliana et al., 2016).
However, the development of tourism in Karimunjawa has brought significant changes to the pattern of marine resource utilisation. Research by Airawati depicts that well-managed marine tourism can have a positive impact on the local economy, but can also cause pressure on the ecosystem if not managed sustainably (Airawati, 2023). The income of fishermen in the Karimunjawa marine tourism area is influenced by various interrelated variables. Factors such as ownership of production assets, education level, fishing experience, and access to capital are important determinants in determining income levels. Research by Muhammad and Fauziyah shows that variables such as experience and capital have a positive influence on fishermen's income, while other factors such as age and type of fishing gear can have a negative effect (Mamengko & Kuntari, 2021). This suggests that fishers with better access to capital and more fishing experience tend to have higher incomes. Fishers' adaptability to changes in area functions also affects their livelihood strategies. In this context, business diversification is important. According to Bahukeling et al., fishers' involvement in the tourism sector, such as boat rental and tour guide services, is an increasingly common strategy among fishers to increase their income (Destyananda et al., 2022).
The income of fishermen in the Karimunjawa marine tourism area is influenced by various interrelated variables. Factors such as ownership of production assets, education level, fishing experience, and access to capital are important determinants in determining income levels. Research by Muhammad and Fauziyah shows that variables such as experience and capital have a positive influence on fishermen's income, while other factors such as age and type of fishing gear can have a negative effect (Mamengko & Kuntari, 2021). This suggests that fishers with better access to capital and more fishing experience tend to have higher incomes. Fishers' adaptability to changes in area functions also affects their livelihood strategies. In this context, business diversification is important. Involvement of fishers in the tourism sector, such as boat rental and tour guide services, is an increasingly common strategy among fishers to increase their income. Research on the correlation of variables affecting fishers' income in Karimunjawa is relevant in the context of sustainable development. Analysing the correlation between variables can provide insight into the key factors that need to be considered in efforts to improve fishermen's prosperity.
This study used a quantitative research method with a correlational approach to analyze the correlation between variables affecting fishermen's income in the Karimunjawa marine tourism area. The research location covers five hamlets in Karimunjawa Sub-district, namely Karimunjawa, Alang-Alang, Nyamplungan, Legon Cikmas, and Jelamun (Kemujan). The population in this study consisted of 2,575 fishermen recorded in Karimunjawa Sub-district in 2021 (BPS Kabupaten Jepara, 2021). Sampling was conducted using purposive sampling technique, with the criteria of respondents being fishermen who have access and involvement in marine tourism activities. Based on calculations using the Slovin formula at a 90% confidence level and a 10% margin of error, a sample size of 56 fishermen respondents was determined. As supporting data, this study also involved 19 respondents from the surrounding community involved in marine tourism activities.
According to Sahir (2022), the implementation of data analysis in research is carried out by systematically searching and compiling what is obtained by organising, describing, synthesising, compiling patterns, selecting what is important, and drawing conclusions about field data. The analysis method used in this study uses cross tabulation analysis (Crosstab) which uses mathematical data with statistical methods. The crosstab analysis technique aims to assess whether or not there is a correlation between variable factors that affect the income of Karimunjawa fishermen. The crosstab test was conducted using SPSS 15 software. Crosstab analysis is a statistical test tool used to identify the correlation between two variables. The data used in this study are nominal and ordinal scaled data. The variables analysed are divided into two, namely the independent and dependent variables
According to Rahman & Nurlatifah (2020), the crosstab test is a probability value that can be seen from Asymptotic Significance (Asymp. Sig). Crosstab is used to present data in tabulated form, which includes lines and columns that show a joint distribution and test the correlation between 2 or more variables. Crosstab analysis is also a basic analysis for correlation between categorical variables (nominal or ordinal) and is used to test the Test of Independence. This test is used to test whether there is a correlation between two categorical variables.
Analysis using the crosstab analysis technique in this study aims to assess whether or not there is a correlation between the variable factors affecting the income of Karimunjawa fishermen. For this reason, there are some simple principles that need to be considered in compiling a cross table so that the correlation between variables is clearly visible. For this reason, the crosstabs analysis used will use statistical analysis, namely Chi-Square, symbolized by χ².
The Chi-Square test is a Goodness of Fit test, meaning that the test can be used to test whether there is a real fit between the number or frequency of observed objects and the expected frequency of objects in each category. The number of categories can be two or more. Chi-square is a very simple statistical tool in which it is not known whether the correlation is positive or negative, how the correlation is linear or non-linear and how close the correlation between two variables is, the correlation coefficient is used (Riantoro & Semet, 2019). However, it should be emphasized that the correlation coefficient is also a simple statistical measure. Chi-square independence test requirements include: there are no cells whose actual frequency value (F0) is 0; if the contingency table is 2x2, then there is no cell whose expected frequency (Fh) is <5; if the contingency table is more than 2x2, then the percentage of expected frequency cells less than <5 cannot be more than 20%.
On this basis, it is considered that crosstab analysis using the Chi-square test can describe the correlation in this study regarding the correlation between influencing factors (analysis factors) and affected factors (movement patterns). The assumption used in Chi-square is that H0 there is no correlation between variables while H1 there is a correlation.
According to (Heryana, 2020), the decision-making requirements using the comparison of Chi- Square count with Chi-Square table in Chi-Square analysis testing are as follows:
- Chi-Square calculated < Chi-Square table, then H0 is accepted;
- Chi-Square calculated > Chi-Square table, then H0 is rejected;
or,
- P-value (test significance value) < α, then H0 is accepted;
- P-value (test significance value) < α, then H0 is rejected.
Hypothesis: H0 = 0: There is no correlation between variable 1 and variable 2; H1 ≠ 0: There is correlation between variable 1 and variable 2.
Hypothesis testing with α significance uses the Chi-Square distribution with (b-1) (k-1) degrees of freedom where b is the number of rows and k is the number of columns. A large Chi-Square value will tend to reject H0 or accept H1. The correlation coefficient in Chi-Square is a measure of association between two variables. The correlation coefficient indicates the strength of the linear correlation and the direction of the correlation between two random variables.
To facilitate interpretation of the correlation between the two variables, the following criteria are given: if the correlation coefficient r=0, then there is no correlation between the two variables; the value of the correlation coefficient is more 0 r<≤ 0.25, then it means that the correlation is very weak; the correlation coefficient value is more 0.25 r<≤ 0.5, then it means that the correlation is sufficient; the correlation coefficient value is more 0.5 r<≤ 0.75, then it means the correlation is strong; the correlation coefficient value is 0.75 r<≤ 0.99, so the correlation is very strong; if the correlation coefficient r=1, then it is perfect.
The results of cross tabulation analysis showed a significant correlation between age and education level of Karimunjawa fishermen with a Chi-Square value of 22.429 and a p-value of 0.001 (p < 0.05). Based on cross tabulation analysis, the results showed a significant correlation between age and education level of Karimunjawa fishermen (Wedowati et al., 2018). The data reveals that fishermen with age category >40 years old have a lower level of education, where 13.2% did not attend school and 63.2% only completed primary school. In contrast, the distribution of education level in the younger age group (20-30 years old) shows a more positive trend with 80% of respondents reaching middle school education level. This finding is in line with research by Sukamto et al. (2023) who identified an intergenerational education gap in fishing communities, where the younger generation has better access and opportunity to education (Ratnasingam et al., 2021). This pattern of correlation between age and education level reflects the social transformation that occurs in the Karimunjawa fishing community along with the development of the bahar tourism area. According to Hermanto et al., (2018) increased tourism activities in coastal areas encourage public awareness of the importance of formal education as capital in accessing new economic opportunities (Ahmad et al., 2020). This phenomenon can be seen from the high percentage of young fishermen who pursue education up to the secondary level (Wedowati et al., 2018). Access to better education in the younger generation has the potential to support livelihood diversification in the tourism sector. This is reinforced by the findings of Rahman et al. (2022) which showed that education level is positively correlated with fishers' ability to adopt innovations and adapt to socio-economic changes (Prihanto, 2023). Thus, improving access and quality of education for the younger generation of Karimunjawa fishermen can be an important factor in supporting the socio-economic transformation of coastal communities.
The crosstab analysis between age and fishing experience resulted in a Chi-Square value of 30.494 with a p-value of 0.000, indicating a highly significant correlation between the two variables. Based on the cross tabulation analysis, the results showed a highly significant correlation between age and fishing experience of Karimunjawa fishermen. The data showed that 81.6% of fishermen aged >40 years had more than 20 years of fishing experience, with 31.6% of them having more than 40 years of experience. Most fishers in the 20-30 years age group (80%) have between 6-20 years of fishing experience. This finding is consistent with the research of Hidayat et al. (2021) who found a linear correlation between age and accumulated experience in the traditional fishing profession (Ratnasingam et al., 2021). The significance of the correlation between age and fishing experience has important implications for the characteristics of fishing activities in Karimunjawa. Based on a study (Nurlaili et al., 2016), longer sea experience is associated with mastery of traditional knowledge about catchment areas and marine ecosystem dynamics (Ahmad et al., 2020). Fishermen with longer experience tend to have a deeper understanding of sustainable fishing practices. This knowledge becomes important social capital in the context of sustainable marine tourism development. This finding is supported by Azizi et al. (2023) who underlined the importance of integrating local wisdom of experienced fishers in the management of marine tourism areas (Prihanto, 2023).
Based on the crosstab analysis conducted, there is a significant correlation between the education level of Karimunjawa fishermen and their working capital. The Chi-Square test results showed a value of 15.232 with a p-value of 0.019 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant correlation between the two variables. The data showed that all respondents with high school/vocational school education (100%) had working capital in the high category (>300k), while 80% of respondents with no schooling had medium working capital (100-300k) (Wedowati et al., 2018). This pattern indicates a positive correlation between education level and the ability to access and manage larger working capital (Wedowati et al., 2018). Research by Kurniasari & Reswati (2021) also found that education level has a significant effect on fishers' access to formal capital sources, including financial institutions and economic empowerment programs (Ratnasingam et al., 2021). Higher education levels provide a comparative advantage in terms of financial management and business planning among Karimunjawa fishermen (Wedowati et al., 2018). Fishermen with higher education show better ability to adopt fishing technology and business diversification (Ahmad et al., 2020). This is reflected in the proportion of fishermen with middle school education and above who have greater working capital, where 43.8% of respondents with middle school education have working capital >300 thousand (Wedowati et al., 2018). The increase in working capital in the higher educated group is also related to their ability to access information and new economic opportunities in the tourism sector. Research by Rahmawati & Susilowati (2023) confirmed that formal education contributes to improving the capacity of fishermen in managing their businesses and accessing alternative sources of capital.
Analysis of the correlation between the number of family dependents and the level of household expenditure resulted in a Chi-Square value of 10.005 with a p-value of 0.040, indicating a significant correlation between the two variables, the number of family dependents and the level of household expenditure of Karimunjawa fishermen. The data showed that 65.5% of respondents with 1-2 family dependents had low expenditure (2-3.5 million), while 66.7% of respondents with >4 family dependents had high expenditure (>5 million). The proportion of high expenditure increases as the number of family dependents increases, with 29.2% of respondents with 3-4 dependents having expenditure >5 million (Wedowati et al., 2018). This finding is in line with research that identified a positive correlation between the number of family members and the economic burden of fisher households (Ratnasingam et al., 2021). The pattern of the correlation between family dependents and household expenditure reflects the complexity of the economic challenges faced by fishing families in Karimunjawa. The increasing cost of living in marine tourism areas puts additional pressure on households with larger dependents (Ahmad et al., 2020). Increased education, health and consumption needs encourage diversification of income sources, especially in families with more than three dependents. This economic adaptation strategy includes the involvement of family members in the tourism sector and tourism support businesses. The burden of family dependents is one of the drivers of livelihood transformation from the traditional fisheries sector to the tourism service sector (Prihanto, 2023).
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary, contribution is a donation. In this case, it is interpreted as the involvement of marine tourism objects in fishermen's income. The tourism sector not only touches certain economic groups, but also low economic groups. The community will gain access in the form of growing economic activities such as the construction of inns, services (transport, communication and others) as well as stalls and others. Coastal communities, including fishermen, are directly affected by the existence of marine tourism in the form of increased employment opportunities in addition to being a fisherman as their main job.
Based on the results of the fishermen's side job respondent data above, it can be seen that fishermen with side jobs as odd jobs are 24 people with a percentage of 42.86%, fishermen with tourguide side jobs are 23 people with a percentage of 41.07%, fishermen with other side jobs (traders, cultivators) are 7 people with a percentage of 12.50%, and those who do not have side jobs are 2 people with a percentage of 3,57%.
A total of 54 fishermen in Karimunjawa have side jobs to earn additional income amid the development of marine tourism. This shows that marine tourism can provide benefits to fishermen, namely increasing employment, increasing income, and expanding business opportunities for the local community. The development of marine tourism can have a positive economic impact on the surrounding community, such as increased income, employment, and business opportunities. However, the development of marine tourism can also have negative impacts, such as a decrease in community mutual assistance activities (Sihotang et al., 2018). Local community participation in the development of marine tourism is very important to ensure sustainability and provide optimal benefits for the community (Utami & Mardiana, 2017; Setiawan & Kurniawan, 2021; Syaiful et al., 2023). The government also has an important role in supporting the development of marine tourism through policies, communication, and fostering tourism awareness groups (Yasir et al., 2019; Saosang, 2023).
The perception of fishermen and the community towards environmental conditions in the Karimunjawa tourist area is classified as poor because there are still some in tourist attractions there is garbage and environmental damage due to the actions of irresponsible tourists so as to damage the tourist environment (Rahmania et al., 2023; Purnomo et al., 2022; Suryantara, 2023) both due to some irresponsible tourists, who not only cause litter, but also damage the underwater ecosystem so that it has the potential to become a threat to the sustainability of the area. To overcome these problems, fishermen with the surrounding community cooperate with HPI (Indonesian Tour Guide Association) in order to coordinate tourists who are doing tours (Sidiq & Resnawaty, 2017; Susilowanto, 2023). Local community participation in the development of marine tourism is very important to ensure sustainability and provide optimal benefits for the community.
The impact caused by tourism in Karimunjawa shows that there is a negative impact in the form of polluting the surrounding environment due to littering by some tourists. In addition, the presence of shrimp pond waste in Karimunjawa is also the most influential impact on the environment around. To overcome these problems, fishermen and the surrounding community work together with HPI (Indonesian Tour Guide Association) in order to coordinate the tourists who are doing tours. Local community participation in the development of marine tourism is very important to ensure sustainability and provide optimal benefits for the community. The government also has an important role in supporting the development of marine tourism through policies, communication, and fostering tourism awareness groups (Yasir et al., 2019; Saosang, 2023; Aziza Rahman & Idajati, 2017); Anggreni, 2021; Suryani et al., 2020). Evaluation and identification of marine tourism potential in an area also needs to be done to determine the level of development and opportunities for marine tourism development.
The benefits of Karimunjawa marine tourism to the community around marine tourism show that it has a direct effect. With the diversity of tourism in Karimunjawa, many researchers or stakeholder groups explore the knowledge around the area to be used as a source and new research. The Karimunjawa National Park Office (BTNKJ) issued a policy in the form of issuing SIMAKSI (Permit to Enter the Area) for educational activities, research, and utilization of environmental services (Kennedy et al., 2020; Muchlissin et al., 2020). Resources that tend to be good will provide benefits to a person's inner satisfaction because they have a certain aesthetic value (Sulisyati et al., 2014; Sugianti, 2016). Indirectly, marine tourism in Karimunjawa also has an impact on the community around the tourist site because of the many activities carried out by tourists will make a major contribution to increasing community income.
However, the negative impact caused by the existence of tourism in Karimunjawa is the pollution of the surrounding environment in the form of garbage thrown carelessly by some tourists, as well as the waste of shrimp ponds in Karimunjawa (Seprandita et al., 2021; Marganita, 2022). The government also has an important role in supporting the development of marine tourism through policies, communication, and fostering tourism awareness groups. Evaluation and identification of marine tourism potential in an area also needs to be done to determine the level of development and opportunities for marine tourism development (Farid et al., 2018; Ristina et al., 2018; Indrayanti et al., 2020).
Based on the results of the research that has been conducted, it can be concluded that there is a significant correlation between various variables that affect the income of fishermen in the Karimunjawa marine tourism area. The analysis shows that there is an educational gap between generations, where the younger generation has a higher level of education than the older generation. Fishing experience is strongly correlated with fishers' age, with the majority of fishers over 40 years old having more than 20 years of fishing experience. Education level has a positive correlation with the ability to access working capital, where fishermen with higher education tend to have more working capital. The number of family dependents has a significant effect on the level of household expenditure, with a tendency to increase expenditure as the number of dependents increases. These findings suggest fundamental changes in the social and economic lives of Karimunjawa's fisherfolk as the marine tourism sector develop, affecting their income patterns and the way they adapt to fulfill their economic needs.
For fishermen, it is important to actively participate in tourism skills training, form joint business groups, diversify their businesses by combining traditional fishing and marine tourism activities, and support their children's education to a higher level. For the Karimunjawa community, it is important to raise awareness of the potential of marine tourism in their area, actively participate in economic empowerment programs, preserve the coastal and marine environment, and develop unique and quality tourism products and services to support sustainable tourism. Meanwhile, relevant stakeholders such as local governments, area managers, and tourism industry players are expected to develop integrated empowerment programs between the fisheries and tourism sectors, provide adequate supporting infrastructure, make policies that protect the interests of traditional fishermen, facilitate easier access to capital, and encourage investments that favor the welfare of local communities. Through collaboration and synergy between fishermen, communities, and stakeholders, it is expected that the development of marine tourism in Karimunjawa can provide optimal economic benefits while maintaining the sustainability of natural resources and socio- cultural values of the local community.
Original paper, i.e. Figures, Tables, References, and Authors' Contacts available at http://rjoas.com/issue-2025-01/article_16.pdf