Hopes of Lobster Farmers Shattered

Lobster farming has begun to grow significantly. However, the enthusiasm of lobster farmers was shattered after the government issued a policy allowing the export of lobster seeds.

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

Usman (29), one of the farmers showed his product lobster in the Jukung Bay waters area, Jerowaru District, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (26/12/2019)

JAKARTA, KOMPAS -- The government has decided to open the export of lobster seeds. The policy, which is in the form of a ministerial regulation, dashed the hopes of lobster cultivators and farmers.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministerial Regulation No. 12/2020 concerning the management of lobsters, crabs and rajungan in Indonesian territory was issued on 4 May 2020.

Based on the ministerial regulation, the export of lobster seeds from Indonesian territory must follow certain requirements, among other things, relating to the quota and locations of where the lobster seeds are collected in accordance with the annual assessment of the National Commission for Fish Research (Komnas Kajiskan).

The lobster seeds must be obtained from registered small fishermen.

Another requirement is that lobster seed exporters must develop lobster cultivation activities in the country by involving the community or local farmers based on government recommendations. Beside, the lobster seeds must be obtained from registered small fishermen.

Indonesian Sea Fish Farming Association (Hipilindo) chairperson Effendy Wong was pessimistic that lobster farming in Indonesia could go hand in hand with the government’s export policy, even though exporters are required to develop lobster farming.

Also read : It’s Time to Develop the Marine Industry

Kompas

Infographics of lobster export destination countries

As a matter of fact, the lobster seed exports policy will instead boost lobster farming in Vietnam, which so far has relied on seed supply from Indonesia.

"How can domestic lobster farmers develop well if they continue to be put head to head against those from a country that is more established than us? Our goal of making Indonesia an advanced lobster cultivator is only a story," he said when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday (07/05/2020).

Effendy added that lobster cultivated in Indonesia certainly could not compete with Vietnam’s lobster in Chinese markets because the Vietnamese products enter China by land while Indonesian products have to be transported by planes and are subject to import tax.

In 2019, the Financial Transactions Reports and Analysis Centre stated in a release that the flow of funds in lobster seed smuggling had reached Rp 300 billion to Rp 900 billion per year. The funds are used by domestic collectors to buy the lobster seeds from local fishermen.

Also read : The Modus Operandi of Lobster Seed Smuggling

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s fish quarantine, quality control and safety agency stated that most of the smuggled lobster seeds, among others, went to Vietnam and Singapore. The contraband seeds were raised there so that they gave greater added value.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Packs of lobster seeds are confiscated by customs at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Badung, Bali, on Monday (24/2/2020). Custom officials seized eight packs of 10,008 lobster seeds to be smuggled overseas and arrested the smuggler identified as AH.

Exploitation

Maritime Study Center for Humanity executive director Abdul Halim said the lobster seeds export policy marks a new round of exploitation of fisheries resources for short-term purposes, namely to boost non-tax state revenue (PNBP) in the fisheries sector. This condition is contrary to the results of a study by Komnas Kajiskan, which says that lobster resources in some areas have been overexploited.

"The issuance of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Regulation No. 12/2020 is a double-edged sword. As if they [the government] want to drive the lobster farming in the country, while in fact it is only used as a cover to exploit lobster seeds on a large scale," he said.

Halim added that the seed export policy was actually a blow to the country’s lobster farming business. Lobster farmers could potentially find difficulties in obtaining quality lobster seeds at affordable prices.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

The potential for domestic lobster farmers to close down is increasingly apparent due to the government\'s dualism policy. “The government failed to improve the welfare of farmers," he said.

Separately, Komnas Kajiskan chairman for the 2016-2019 period, Indra Jaya, said the national commission had never reviewed the potential of lobster seeds and the volume that could be exploited. The study that has been conducted only focuses on the potential and utilization of the adult size lobster.

KOMPAS/KURNIA YUNITA RAHAYU

An official of the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry’s fish quarantine and fishing quality control agency (BKIPM-KKP) holds up a vacuum pouch containing lobster larvae on Tuesday (14/5/2019) in Jambi. The pouches were confiscated during an operation to thwart an attempt to smuggle the larvae abroad.

The latest data from Komnas Kajiskan in 2016 showed that lobster utilization in six out of 11 Indonesia water areas (WPP) held the status of overfishing or in the red zone, while five other WPP were fully utilized or in the yellow zone.

He added that a thorough study was needed, including field data and literature studies, to determine the number, time and location of catching seeds more precisely. Moreover, the condition of Indonesia\'s waters is unique and varies between regions.

"An estimate about the potential of lobster seeds in nature must be followed with monitoring mechanisms. Without tight schedule for seeds catching, the exploitation can take place throughout the year. There must be an agency in charge of supervising [potential exploitation], especially considering the size of the seed is very small," he said.

The director general of capture fisheries at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Zulficar Mochtar, said the government was preparing technical instructions regarding the export of lobster seeds. The technical directives, among others, regulate the export of lobster seeds, which are only permitted if the business actor is proven to have a successful lobster culture facility. "We will detail other requirements," he said.