The clear lobster seed export policy should take into account aspects of the balance of fish resources.
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By
BM LUKITA GRAHADYARINI
·4 minutes read
The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Ekspor Benih Lobster Segera Dibuka
KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA
Members of the Indonesian Navy look at evidence of baby lobsters during the release of attempts to smuggle baby lobsters which will be sent to Singapore via Juanda International Airport Surabaya, in Sidoarjo, East Java, Tuesday (18/10 /2022). A total of 29 bags of lobster seeds were confiscated from the suspect RS, Monday (17/10/2022). After inspection, it was discovered that the number of clear lobster seeds (BBL) was 26,432 with a state loss of IDR 1.3 billion.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government plans to finalize regulations regarding the export of clear lobster seeds by the end of January 2024. The policy of opening the tap for seed exports has sparked public controversy regarding the sustainability of the resource or germplasm, as well as the impact it has received. domestic lobster cultivation.
One of the priority programs promoted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) in the 2021-2024 period is sustainable aquaculture with a focus on developing superior commodities, namely shrimp, lobster, crab, seaweed, and tilapia.
Professor of Resources Fisheries Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Sciences IPB University Luky Adrianto is of the opinion that exports in the form of fish resource seeds, including clear lobster seeds, should take into account aspects of the balance of fish resources and not just the context of the export balance from an economic economic perspective. "The balance of fish resources is very important from a spatial and temporal perspective," he said when contacted, Thursday (11/1/2024).
Clear lobster seeds have spatial characteristics in the form of limited space, as well as temporal characteristics in relation to the lifecycle cycle. Therefore, lobster stocks in a certain location are not always abundant throughout the year, and they also depend on the quality of the ecosystem. Regional-based fishery management is considered very important to ensure the sustainability of lobster seed stocks.
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, in a press conference on "Outlook and Priority Programs for the Marine and Fisheries Sector in 2024" on Wednesday (10/1/2024), presented that a legal framework related to the policy of exporting clear lobster seeds was being prepared so that the export tap of those seeds can be opened up and provide benefits for the country. "The target is for the regulation to be completed by the end of this month," he said.
From Kompas's notes, the government opened and closed the export tap for clear lobster seeds. In 2015-2019, the export of clear lobster seeds was prohibited and in May 2020 seed exports were reopened. However, on November 26 2020, exports of clear lobster seeds were temporarily closed following a bribery case involving lobster seed cultivation and export business licensing which involved former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo in the case. Then, in 2021, the government imposed a ban on the export of clear lobster seeds.
According to Trenggono, the implementation of a ban on the export of lobster seeds has been faced with ongoing seed smuggling while supervisory performance remains poor. The largest market for illegal export of lobster seeds is Vietnam. It is estimated that the smuggling of lobster seeds from Indonesia to Vietnam reaches 600 million seeds per year.
The smuggling of transparent lobster seeds is ongoing. We are not yet able to oversee it properly. Lobster cultivation in Vietnam is enormous and 100 percent of the illegal seeds originate from Indonesia. They (Vietnam) claim that the lobster seeds are legally bought from Malaysia and Singapore, but I know that the seeds actually come from Indonesia," said Trenggono.
Pay the levy
Trenggono added, the best approach in dealing with the problem of lobster seed smuggling in Indonesia is through diplomacy efforts by giving room to Vietnamese investors or business operators to develop lobster cultivation in Indonesia. Through a government-to-government (G-to-G) cooperation scheme, Indonesia can supply the transparent lobster seeds needed for cultivators in Vietnam, provided that the operators pay a non-tax state revenue (PNBP) levy.
On the other hand, Vietnamese entrepreneurs can develop lobster cultivation in Indonesia, thus creating a supply chain and multiplier effect for feed and labor businesses. He acknowledges that the transfer of lobster farming technology from Vietnam to Indonesia is considered unlikely, but there will be a transfer of work ethic from Vietnamese farmers that Indonesian farmers often lack.
"We can achieve growth through exporting lobster seeds. This means that we can provide around 200-300 million lobster seeds. If the tax tariff is only Rp 5,000 per seed, it will generate almost Rp 1.5 trillion in PNBP. That's a huge benefit. Lobster seeds will also die if they are not taken or eaten by other fish," said Trenggono.
BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA
Evidence in the release of the thwarting of smuggling of clear lobster seeds (BBL) through Juanda Airport at the Juanda Customs Office in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Thursday (15/4/2021). The thwarting was carried out at 12:30 PM to a package headed for Batam which was reported as consisting of general cargo-garments-electronics package documents. Out of the 80 plastic bags that were seized, it is estimated that they contain 80,000 BBL with a value of 8 billion rupiah.
Advisor to the Indonesian Mariculture Association (Hibilindo) Effendy Wong reminded that when the export tap for clear lobster seeds opened in 2020, the smuggling of lobster seeds was still ongoing. Meanwhile, the obligation for lobster seed exporters to develop domestic lobster cultivation is indicated by manipulation practices.
"Lobster cultivation in Indonesia is only taken care of superficially to fulfill the requirements for lobster seed exports. There has been manipulation in lobster cultivation and the expected resurgence of lobster cultivation in Indonesia by the government has not been proven," said Effendy.
Effendy urges the government to commit to promoting the downstreaming of fisheries by not exploiting seeds or germplasm for export. The cultivation of lobsters as a leading commodity in Indonesia's fisheries should be encouraged to be competitive and produce added value. Export policies for seeds are a setback for lobster cultivation in Indonesia and, conversely, will only benefit lobster cultivators in Vietnam.
"What steps and guarantees has the government taken for the development of lobster cultivation in the country? Don't just focus on PNBP, while the fisheries downstream program has not been achieved," he said.
According to Effendy, the proliferation of lobster seed smuggling makes the government's decision to open the door to seed exports seem illogical. The investment in lobster farming by Vietnam in Indonesia can only be realized if the government tightly closes the tap on lobster seed exports. "The closure of seed supply to Vietnam will automatically encourage Vietnamese investors to switch to developing lobster cultivation in Indonesia," he explained.
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