I would like to thank many people who have assisted my work from its beginnings as a doctoral research program in 1993. Professor James Fox, from the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Paul Clark from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and Dr Ian Walters from Charles Darwin University (formerly the Northern Territory University) have all provided ongoing enthusiasm, support and advice at various times. I am also very grateful to Drs Colin Filer and David Lawrence of the Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program at the ANU for the editorial assistance they have provided in turning my original thesis into a book.

I received financial assistance from Charles Darwin University; the International Federation of University Women in Geneva; the Northern Territory Branch of the Australian Federation of University Women; the North Australia Research Unit of the ANU; the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ANU Eastern Indonesian Fisheries Project); and the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Training (Asian Studies Library Award).

In Indonesia, field research was carried out under the auspices of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia) (LIPI) and the sponsorship of Haluoleo University in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, and I should like to thank the Rector and staff of that university for their support.

I wish to express my gratitude to people in the communities of Mola and Mantigola in the Tukang Besi Islands and in Pepela on Roti Island, who permitted me to live in their villages and supported my research during between 1993 and 1997. I am particularly indebted to Pak Akmad, Ibu Mambi and their children in Mola, and Pak Hassan and his family with whom I lodged in Pepela. I would also like to thank Pak Kasmin from Mola Selatan who provided translation assistance during periods of fieldwork in Mola.

There were dozens of people from Mola, Mantigola and Pepela who patiently provided their time and offered information during my field research. Particular thanks are due to Pak Sahrulla, Pak Gunda, Pak Mbaga, Pak Bilaning, Pak Pallu, Pak Harun, Pak Gudang, Pak Panghasi, Pak Mahating, Pak Mpeno, Pak Kiramang, Pak Nurdin, Pak La Ode Ndoke, Pak Subbung, Pak Badolla, Pak Talla, Pak Kaharra, Pak Kariman, Pak Acing, Pak Mudir, Pak Dudda, Pak Goseng, Pak Idrus, Pak Hasim, Pak Usman, Pak La Musa, Ibu Runnia and Ibu Muna. In many parts of this book, I have used pseudonyms to protect the identities of my informants, especially the Bajo boat captains and crew who were operating in 1994, so I cannot identify the real names of many people whom I would like to thank in person. I am grateful to Pak Sahrulla for allowing me to sail on his perahu; to Pak Nasseng of Sulamu for offering information on Bajo history, and to the captains and crews of apprehended boats in Darwin and Broome who allowed me to interview them during such stressful times.

Pak Alimaturahim, Director of Yayasan Sama (a non-government organisation) and his family and staff in Kendari provided considerable support, information and assistance. I would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Director of PT Sumberguna Makasarnusa in Ujung Pandang regarding the trade in marine products in Indonesia. On a number of occasions during fieldwork in Indonesia, Gwen and Peter Deacon in Kupang, and Allaster Cox and Susila Selvaraja in Jakarta provided hospitality. In Jakarta, Allaster Cox and Andreas Vecchiet from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Australian Embassy supplied me with copies of maps and publications. They also allowed me to accompany an official Australian-Indonesian delegation during an educational meeting concerning illegal Indonesian fishing activity in the AFZ in Southeast Sulawesi in January 1995.

I would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the following individuals and organisations during the course of my research: Professor Pim Schoorl in Holland for providing copies of his published and unpublished material on Southeast Sulawesi; Nick Burningham, formerly of the Western Australian Maritime Museum, for information on Indonesian watercraft technology and for correcting many technical errors in the manuscript on perahu construction and design; Dan Dwyer for information on Indonesian fishing activity in the AFZ; Gus Bottrill for access to his unpublished material; Dr Ian Crawford for access to his Ph.D. thesis; Dr Greg Acciaioli and Ester Velthoen for providing copies of unpublished papers; George and Virginia Hilliard in Sydney for information on Robin Hilliard; CSIRO Division of Fisheries in Hobart for providing me with a copy of the 1949 Warreen Survey Log; Alan Pearce of the CSIRO Division of Marine Research in Perth for going out of his way to locate and provide copies of visual material associated with that survey; Bruce Wallner and Kevin McLoughlin of the Bureau of Rural Sciences in Canberra for copies of their unpublished report; Dr Mark Donohue for some basic Sama language training in Mola; Silvano Jung for his technical assistance; and staff of the Australian Surveying and Land Information Group’s Maritime Boundaries Program in Canberra (now part of Geoscience Australia) for providing some of the maps.

In Darwin, staff from the Foreign Fishing Operations Branch of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) — especially Colin Mellon, Mick Munn, Roy McKay and Raymond (‘Doc’) Doherty — have at various times over the course of the study provided information on Indonesian boat apprehensions and allowed me to interview Indonesian boat crews held in Darwin Harbour. Daryl Rolf and Nigel Scullion of Barefoot Marine Security provided me with transport to visit these fishermen on their boats. Des Pike from Parks Australia in Darwin provided extensive information on Indonesian activities at Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve. Pak Argus Sardjana, Pak Mochtar and Ibu Tien of the Indonesian Consulate in Darwin also provided information on Indonesian apprehensions. Staff from the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission also supplied information at various times.

In Broome, Les Garbellini, Greg Gaynor, Mike O’Dea, Michael Ferris, and Colin Ossel from the WA Fisheries Department provided information on Indonesian boat boardings and apprehensions. They also provided me with office space during a visit to Broome and took me to visit Willie Creek Detention Centre. Volunteer staff at the Broome Historical Museum went out of their way to assist in my inquiries and allowed me access to their files. In Perth, the WA Australian Customs Service located a file from 1957 and generously supplied me with a copy, Philip Vincent supplied information on cases dealt with by Broome magistrates. fishing cases, and Chris Majors provided information on Bajo communities resident at Sampela and LaHoa in the Tukang Besi Islands. In Canberra, Stuart Fitch from AFMA and staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra supplied information on Indonesian fishing activity and the maritime borders between Australia and Indonesia.

Finally, my gratitude goes to Didier Rouer and my family for their encouragement and support during the many years over which this study was conducted.

Natasha Stacey
Charles Darwin University
April 2007