The artisanal fishery of the Mahakam River floodplain in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The fishery on the Mahakam River floodplain is important and therefore heavily exploited. Mesh sizes of gillnets and beach seines have decreased rapidly in recent times, indicating that overexploitation may soon become a roblem; biological data support this. Actual and estimated yields, calculated using standard methods, are compared and the relationship of total catch to water levels determined. Annual catches were most significantly related to the number of days when water levels were >9.2 m above mean sea level (AMSL) in the twelve-month period beginning in May of the year previous to the catch. The relationship took the form Y = 9476.105 + 115.5967X (r = 0.92), where Y is the catch in t (metric tonnes) and X the number of days when water levels were >9.2 m. The consequences for future management policies are discussed.