Government

Coordination Meeting of Blue Swimming Crab Fishery in Indonesia

by adminapri March 3, 2018 0 comments

Improvement activities of BSC  fisheries in Indonesia began to grow rapidly since 2009, when members of APRI initiated the activities of the  Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) of BSC with the full support of the NFI Crab Council in US, which is the main destination country for crab meat exports from Indonesia and Sustainable Fisheries Patnership. APRI itself currently consists of 17 BSC companies in Indonesia that contribute to almost 85% of total crab meat exports from Indonesia.

Based on data from the MMAF, it was noted that the export value of Indonesian crab meat in 2017 occupies the 3rd position after Tuna and Shrimp, which reached more than USD 308 million. The largest export destination countries are the United States (71%) followed by Japan (9%), Malaysia (7%) and other countries. Because the level of crab exports including essential export commodities, a crab fishery management program is needed to maintain the stability of crab production in the field. In addition, BSC fisheries also have important roles for small fisheries in Indonesia, as most are done by small scale fisheries (with ship size <10 GT) using traps and gillnets.

APRI and MMAF together with other government agencies, SFP and other NGOs, universities and other agencies, have worked together to implement Fisheries Improvement Program covering all Indonesian waters. The objectives include changing non-environmentally friendly fishing practices (not taking small crabs, not taking laying eggs), stock enhancement, supporting sustainable crab management policies, protecting critical habitats for small crabs including nursery ground ), habitat for spawning area, cultivation of crabs and implementing traceability system to improve compliance with applicable rules (especially Ministerial Regulation No. 56 of 2016 (dated December 23, 2016) concerning Prohibition of Lobster Arrest and / or Expenditure (Panulirus spp.), Crabs (Scylla spp.) And BSC (Portunus spp.) From the Territory of the Republic of Indonesia and Ministerial Regulation No. 71 of 2016 on Fishing and Fishing Catching Trails in Fisheries Management Area of ​​the Republic of Indonesia and supporting traceability of crabs products.

BSC Fisheries Improvement Activities conducted by APRI also supports the implementation of the BSC Fisheries Management Plan (RPP) in the Fisheries Management Area of the Republic of Indonesia (Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia No. 70 / KEPMEN-KP / 2016), both at the national, provincial and regions. APRI supports the formation of Sustainable Fishing Fisheries Management Initiative (IPPRB) facilitated by Directorate of Fish Resources Management (SDI), with pilot program in Lampung Province. In addition, APRI is also working with the provincial governments of Central Java, Southeast Sulawesi and East Java to establish management institutions and implement the management of small crab farming in each of these areas, which has produced a decree and regulations governor.

To further enhance the coordination of various initiatives undertaken by APRI and several stakeholders, it is necessary to have a coordination meeting between central and regional governments and other agencies working to improve the management of Indonesia’s small crab fisheries and the welfare of its fishermen.

Efforts to better manage this small crab are fully supported by the MMAF by holding an activity called the Coordination Meeting of Blue Swimming Crab Fishery in Indonesia involving various parties ranging from central and local government agencies, educational institutions such as universities as well as NGOs and buyers or buyers who also have the same goal that is to support the cremation improvement program in Indonesia. This activity was held on February 27, 2018 in GMB 1, Ministry of Marine Fisheries and Affairs Jakarta with Theme Sustainability of the Blue Swimming Crab Resources for Community Welfare. The objective of this activity is to strengthen coordination among sub-sector, national-regional, inter-stakeholders and among donor agencies and inform the latest developments, through:

1. Sharing information and experiences on the management of BSC in Indonesia from activities that have been and are being done by various parties, and discuss best practices for the management of BSC in Indonesia.
2. Discuss the management of integrated sustainable BSC, based on the principle of improving the management of BSC fisheries by looking at stock conditions, environmental impacts, and management systems.
3. Develop data management system of BSC fisheries including catch and export data of crab products to assist with traceability program, compliance improvement and better sustainability management.
4. Accelerate the implementation of the Rajani Fishery Management Plan at the regional level
5. Develop an umbrella program to improve the management of integrated crab fisheries among relevant directorates and all stakeholders in order to increase exports, preserve the sustainability of small crabs as well as improve the welfare of fishermen.

The Coordination Meeting of Cross-Fishery Cross-sector and the Institute is the first to be conducted in Indonesia. The output to be achieved from this activity is to collect proposed multi-stakeholder (cross-sector, regional and central) umbrella programs to increase the export of crab meat through improved management of BSC fisheries to be one of the leading programs to boost exports. The sustainable crab aquaculture umbrella program will involve the relevant directorates, including:

– Strengthening Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products
– Capture fisheries
– Aquaculture
– Spatial Planning and Marine Ecosystems
– Supervision of Marine and Fishery Resources
– Marine and Fisheries Research Agency
– Fish Quarantine Agency and Quality Control

It is hoped that this meeting will bring together all multi-stakeholders (cross-sector, regional and central) under one pre-eminent umbrella program to maintain the sustainability and sustainability of Blue Swimming Crab fishery and encourage to increase the value and quality of crab meat export in Indonesia to the world