NFI Crab Council Welcomes New APRI Executive Director

October **, 2014 Washington, DC

The NFI Crab Council welcomes  Dr. Hawis Madduppa, the new Executive Director for the Indonesian Blue Swimming Crab Association (APRI). With a background in marine and fisheries management science, Dr. Madduppa brings technical expertise and leadership experience to the sustainably minded processing and exporting group.

As head of Marine Biodiversity & Biosystematics Labs at Bogor Agricultural University, Dr. Madduppa has organized and led research studies on marine organisms exploration, fishery improvement and seafood socio-economics.

“Fishery improvement is all about management but it’s one part science and one part business,” said Dr. Madduppa. “In my new role with APRI, I look forward to working with the Indonesian crab industry and our overseas partners, the NFI Crab Council, to focus on sound strategies that result in improved stock health and fishery yield.”

The NFI Crab Council funds fishery improvement efforts in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. Council members fund in-country sustainability work by assessing a fee on the poundage of crabs they import.

Formed in 2007, APRI comprises thirteen of Indonesia’s leading crab processor companies, representing over 90% of the product exported from Indonesia to the US market. Dr. Madduppa succeeds former Executive Director Arie Prabawa under whom APRI funded an MSC-Pre-assessment of the Indonesian Blue Swimming Crab Fishery, developed and implemented a fisheries improvement plan and adopted a 10 cm minimum harvest size.

“Indonesia is an important trade partner in Blue Swimming Crab for US companies,” said NFI Crab Council Secretary Gavin Gibbons, in Jakarta for a meeting with the new APRI board. “APRI has kept that relationship strong by working to preserve Blue Swimming Crab as a resource and product. With Dr. Madduppa’s direction, APRI will further concentrate its sustainability efforts around fishery science.”

The NFI Crab Council was founded in 2009 and funds Blue Swimming Crab sustainability projects through contributions from participating companies and has received grants from the World Bank, SeaPact and the Walton Family Foundation.