JAKARTA – Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) launches “Harvest Strategy” for blue swimming crabs, snappers and groupers in Jakarta to improve fisheries management, on Tuesday, (3/3/2020). At the same time, Minister Edhy Prabowo with Acting Secretary-General of MMAF, Antam Novambar, Rokhmin Dahuri and Directorate General of Capture Fisheries, M. Zulficar Mochtar inaugurates the operation of Fisheries Management Unit of Fisheries Management Area (WPPNRI).
“Harvest Strategy is important, and the most important thing is this is for the first time we adopt this. This is just a new beginning but more than that the key thing is to control,” Minister Edhy said at the Stakeholders Meeting on Harvest Strategy of Blue Swimming Crabs, Snappers and Groupers and also the Launching of Fisheries Management Unit or LPP-WPPNRI.
Exploitation of fish resources that covers blue swimming crabs, snappers and groupers by the coastal community of Indonesia has been ongoing since a long time. Its potential and economic values absorb much labour, approximately 275 thousand workers. Unfortunately, size of the catch has been declining, because of the high demand.
“That can be seen from the size of the catch, fishing area is far from the shoreline. Now, buyers want to know the traceability of the fish,” said Director General of Capture Fisheries, M. Zulficar Mochtar in front of Stakeholder Meeting participants.
Zulficar added that Indonesia blue swimming crabs production reaches third rank after tuna and shrimps. Export value achieved Rp 4,6 trillion per annum to the United States of America (71%), followed by Japan (9%), and Malaysia (7%).
“Let us work together to support all these FMAs, data should be also effective in order to ensure a proper capture allocation per FMA. Our fishing harvest is high but still only limited portion for export, approximately 20 or 30%. For that reason let us work together to guide it tightly,” Zulficar asked.
Directorate General of Capture Fisheries of MMAF under assistance by UNFAO is ongoing with a project Enabling transboundary cooperation for sustainable management of the Indonesian seas, to restore and to sustain coastal and marine resources of Indonesia implemented within the Indonesia Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (ISLME). Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) is the coastal and marine areas with high productivity compared with open or high seas.
ISLME has an important role by contributing 1% of fisheries global production, and a important part of the world’s coral triangle (500 species of coral reefs, 2.500 marine fish species, 47 species of mangroves and 13 species of sea-grass). Around 185 million people live in the project area and depend on the coastal and marine fishery industries, aquacultures, oil and gas production, transportation and tourism.
Five priority sites of LME of Indonesia area are North Jawa, East Kalimantan, East Flores, Lombok and the border of Batugede-Atapupu. This program is a part of a regional project and implemented by both Indonesia and Timor Leste that covers 213 million hectares of territorial waters
Activity in the five priority sites will cover the ecosystem-based approach for capture fisheries and aquaculture, marine spatial planning management and marine protected area. Fisheries of Blue swimming crabs, lobsters, mud crabs and snappers-groupers have a special focus. Support also will be provided to strengthen responsible institution-building towards fisheries management, fishing port, and marine debris management.
The Representative of FAO Indonesia, Mr. Stephen Rudgard who attended the event expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries who have taken important initiative for global issues.
“I am glad to see that FAO through the ISLME project is able to support the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management and then take it to the next levels of Fisheries Improvement Programme and Harvest Strategies of selected fisheries. I also know other development agencies are also involved. I really appreciate the proactive role of MMAF in this regard. Together we hope to ensure sustainable fisheries management in the Indonesian seas,” said Mr. Rudgard.
The Stakeholders Meeting showed a strong commitment by the signing of ‘Joint Commitment for Sustainable Blue Swimming Crab Management and also Joint Commitment for Snappers and Groupers Sustainable Management’.
Furthermore, The Stakeholders also signed Annual Work Plan (RKT) for Blue Swimming Crabs between Government of South-east Sulawesi, South Sulawesi and Central Java with supporting partner The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Director General of Capture Fisheries of MMAF.
Over 400 participants attended the Stakeholders Meeting and visited the exhibition booth during the event. Participants also observed blue swimming crabs, snappers and groupers product, ‘showcase’ of project or program related to the management of blue swimming crabs, snappers and groupers. Some of the exhibitioners are ISLME-FAO, WCS, APRI, and groupers exporter PT Pulomas. (*)
