Fishermen's Preferences for Using Digital Media in Fisheries Extension

Abstract

Fisheries education is a strategic approach to increase fishermen's knowledge and skills, while social media offers fast and interactive access to information. This research analyzes fishermen's use of social media in Rokan Hilir, especially in supporting fisheries education, communication, and marketing activities. This research uses a quantitative method with a survey approach, involving 30 respondents selected using purposive sampling. Data was collected through questionnaires, observation, and documentation and then analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research results show that the majority of fishermen have used social media, with WhatsApp as the most popular platform (100%), followed by Facebook (50%) and YouTube (50%). Social media supports fishermen in various aspects, including access to weather information (score 3.90), marketing of catches (3.70), and entertainment (4.23). Additionally, social media facilitates online outreach, which increases fishermen's engagement by up to 30%. However, challenges such as low digital literacy and limited infrastructure remain the main obstacles. This research recommends increasing digital literacy through training that focuses on fishing communities and strengthening information technology infrastructure in coastal areas. With this step, social media can be utilized more optimally to support fishermen's economic and social sustainability. This research confirms that social media functions as a communication tool and an instrument for empowering fishermen in the digital era.