The task force formed by the government to speed up the replacement of \'cantrang\', will start working next week.
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Kompas/Priyombodo
Crew members unload cakalang from KM. Sinar Arindo 66 at the Nizam Zachman Ocean Fisheries Port in North Jakarta on Friday (19/1). The government has asked fishermen to switch from seine nets to a more environmentally friendly catching method as part of an effort to ensure the sustainability of marine resources.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The task force formed by the government to speed up the replacement of cantrang, a kind of Danish seine net considered environmentally harmful, will start working next week. The task force consisting of inter-institution officials will coach and facilitate fishermen both in capital and transfer of technology.
One problem related to capital the fishermen are facing is the bank credit that was used to purchase cantrang. It needs a mechanism that allows the fishermen’s old bank credit to be restructured to enable them to purchase new fishing nets without ignoring the banking prudence principle.
Task force chairman Adm. (ret) Widodo told Kompas in Jakarta on Friday (19/1) the task force would start work next week.
Currently, there are 1,223 boats using cantrang and similar nets operating in the sea off Java’s northern coastline. From that number, as many as 226 boats are below 30 gross tons (GT) in size, 693 boats are over 30 GT and 304 others have not been verified. The government is preparing 89 new environmentally friendly fishing nets to replace cantrang.
Task force member Lenny Sugihat said after its establishment, the task force would identify problems related to cantrang. The process would begin with the early identification of owners of cantrang, addresses, locations and sizes of boats. The boat will also be assessed to verify its size because there have been indications of manipulation.
Kompas/Priyombodo
Crew members unload cakalang from KM. Sinar Arindo 66 at the Nizam Zachman Ocean Fisheries Port in North Jakarta on Friday (19/1).
Credit facilitation
Regarding the funding to replace the fishing net, the task force is ready to facilitate the fisherman in borrowing from banks, although the fisherman may get loans from anywhere. The task force will coordinate with banks regarding the condition of boats and the fishermen’s business feasibility.
Particularly for boats with cantrang below 10 GT, the government offers an assistance scheme to replace the fishing net.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry director for ships and fishing nets Agus Suherman said as of early this year, his office had received proposals for the replacement of cantrang for 3,900 boats under 10 GT.
Regarding the replacement of fishing nets, the ministry has formed the Institute for Maritime and Fisheries Business Capital Management (LPMUKP), allocating it Rp 1.31 trillion in funds this year. LPMUKP director Syarif Syahrial said the funds would be used to replace cantrang for boats measuring between 10 and 30 GT.
State lender PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia inter-institution director Sis Apik Wijayanto told Kompas yesterday that BRI had worked with the ministry to invest in the fishermen via capital and boat financing. In 2017, 255 fishermen received a total of Rp 87 billion in credit. The credit can be used to buy a new boat or to replace cantrang as long as it meets the banking requirement.
State lender PT Bank Negara Indonesia corporate secretary Kiryanto said BNI had coordinated with the ministry regarding the credit for fishermen through people’s business credit scheme.
Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has instructed his staff members not to seize cantrang-equipped boats before solutions for the fishermen are provided.
Kairun, a fisherman in Bandengan village, Mundu district, Cirebon, said catch kept declining in the past few years. He said he believed it had something to do with the use of cantrang by many 10 GT boats operating around 4 kilometers from the coastline.
