This difficult situation is caused by three factors, namely a decline in fishermen’s income, a lack of access to aid and the difficulty of obtaining subsidized fuel (BBM).
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
As National Fishermen’s Day was commemorated on Wednesday (6/4/2022), what was heard from fishermen themselves was still mostly complaints and lamentation.
Coverage of fishermen's welfare by Kompas in five locations – namely Indramayu and Cirebon in West Java; Natuna, Riau Islands; Aru Islands, Maluku; and Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi – concluded that the lives of fishermen are still poor.
This difficult situation is caused by three factors, namely a decline in fishermen’s income, a lack of access to aid and the difficulty of obtaining subsidized fuel (BBM). These facts are in accordance with the results of the Kompas editorial team’s coverage and the conclusions of a number of surveys.
Part of the decline in fishermen’s income has been caused by their struggle to compete with large-scale fisheries entrepreneurs. Every day, small fishermen must now compete with large vessels owned by large entrepreneurs.
However, according to the findings of a survey by the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Union (KNTI) conducted from 15 May to 19 June, 2020, many fishermen, especially small fishermen, were not registered in the card system.
Amid this struggle, fishermen's access to government assistance is limited. One of the obstacles is the distribution of aid. To channel aid during the pandemic period, the government used the “Kusuka” fishermen card data. However, according to the findings of a survey by the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Union (KNTI) conducted from 15 May to 19 June, 2020, many fishermen, especially small fishermen, were not registered in the card system.
Obtaining subsidized fuel is another difficulty. During the pandemic, 7 out of 10 fishermen noted the difficulty of obtaining a letter of recommendation for subsidized fuel and accessing their subsidized fuel quota. As a result, small fishermen were forced to buy fuel at market prices (Kompas, 5/4/2022).
This gloomy situation has dimmed prospects for the rejuvenation of small-scale fisheries. The Kompas archives for the period 2010 to 2018 record that a large number of fishermen left the trade for other sectors because of the uncertainty of the business. This is also demonstrated by the declining or stagnant number of fishermen in many areas of the nation.
Data from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry accessed on Saturday show the stagnant number of fishermen and declines in the past 10 years. In 2019, the number of maritime fishermen was around 2.1 million. This figure was below the 2018 number of 2.3 million.
In the midst of these issues, there is information about plans to apply fishing contract policies, or measurable catches. Inevitably, fishermen again are haunted by anxiety because they say this contract system only benefits large investors and corporations.
Indonesia, as a maritime country that is blessed with the sea and wealth in it, should fight to empower its fishermen. Theft of fish or illegal fishing should be dealt with firmly for the freedom of fishermen looking for fish. Access to assistance must also be made easier for the sake of the greatness of fishermen in our rich sea.