Ethnoichthyological perspectives on anchovy utilization and classification in the Malacca Strait
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Abstract. Ginting JH, Afrida A, Budarsa G, Jatmiko KA. 2025. Ethnoichthyological perspectives on anchovy utilization and classification in the Malacca Strait. Asian J Ethnobiol 8: 171-181. This study investigates the ethnoichthyological dimensions of anchovy-based livelihoods in Tanjungbalai, a coastal community located along the eastern shoreline of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Anchovies (Stolephorus spp. and Stolephorus waitei), locally known as ikan teri, function not only as economic commodities but also as cultural agents deeply embedded within social, ecological, and gendered systems. Based on twelve months of ethnographic fieldwork using participant observation, interviews, and focus group discussions, this research explores how traditional ecological knowledge enables fishers to classify anchovy species using folk taxonomy, recognize ecological patterns, and adapt to seasonal environmental changes. The study documents a detailed folk taxonomy that distinguishes anchovy types based on morphology, behavior, habitat, and economic value. This local knowledge directly contributes to community-level biodiversity monitoring and supports ecosystem-based fisheries management. In addition, the findings reveal a gender-complementary division of labor, the operation of informal financial networks, and intergenerational modes of knowledge transmission that uphold socioeconomic resilience. By positioning TEK as a living system of field-based biodiversity observation and resource stewardship, the study offers critical insights for integrating local knowledge into participatory marine conservation strategies and sustainable fisheries governance in the Malacca Strait.
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