Pengetahuan komuniti Bajau Laut terhadap penstrukturan Taman Marin Sabah

Abstract

Excessive exploitation of marine resources by using traditional fishing gear by the Bajau-Laut (sea gipsies) community has an impact on sustainability around marine park conservation zones. Is it possible for the Bajau-Laut community to lessen their traditional fishing activities if their knowledge on the conservation zone's regulatory structure is suitable? Therefore, this paper employs a phenomenological approach to study the Bajau-Laut community knowledge on the conservation zone's regulatory structure of the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Sabah. A study was conducted in Kampung Tundun, Bum- Bum of Semporna district, Sabah, utilising in-depth interview survey which involved ten informants selected through purposive sampling technique. The study employed Anthony Gidden's Structure Theory as the analytical framework to understand the process of zone's regulatory restructuring of the marine parks that impact the life of the Bajau-Laut community. Results show that the level of the community knowledge on the conservation zones, including the Fish Zone, the Common Use Zone and the Conservation / Prohibition Zone is moderate. The study confirms that the level of knowledge of the Bajau-Laut community is not yet sufficient to respond positively to the restructuring of the conservation zones. Theoretically, the structure (administrator) has the power to create a conservation zone scheme. Meanwhile, the agency (the Bajau-Laut community) was unable to prevent the restructuring of the national park by the administrative agency.