Protect Marine Biota by Preventing Smuggling

Jakarta, InfoPublik – Indonesian Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MAF) Minister Susi Pudjiastuti asked the public’s active participation in preventing marine fisheries and biota smuggling from Indonesian waters. The forms of active participation include guarding, preventing, reporting and providing information about smuggling activities that occur around us.

"If eggs-bearing crabs, crab babies, lobster or Blue Swimming Crabs are hunted, the population will be extinct. In a few years, our young generation will no longer be able to enjoy crabs, lobsters or Blue Swimming Crab," Susi said in her statement on Monday (3/25).

Susi added that the unsustainable management is due to human’s greed. For that, we need to continue to disseminate applicable regulations. Hopefully there will be no more violations.

According to her, the government in this case the MAF in collaboration with various relevant agencies will take more intensive actions against all forms of marine biota smuggling, considering that marine biota is one of the sources of income for fishermen.

Minister Susi regretted the rampant smuggling of eggs-bearing crabs. The crab’s sustainability and survival in nature need to be considered. The utilization must be carried out sustainably so that our future generation can also enjoy it.

One effort to maintain sustainability is by limiting utilization by the size, condition and time. People are urged to return eggs-bearing crab or crabs weighing under 200 grams to their habitat when accidentally caught.

The efforts to thwart smuggling of eggs-bearing crab is part of the implementations of Law No. 31 of 2004 as amended into Law No. 45 of 2009 on Fisheries. This is also as an effort to support sustainable fisheries resource management programs.

The eggs-bearing crab smuggling has violated the Regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No. 56 of 2016 on Prohibition of Catching and/or Exporting Lobster, Crab and Blue Swimming Crab from the territory of the Republic of Indonesia. Based on the regulation, eggs-bearing crabs and crabs weighing under 200 grams per head are prohibited from being captured or traded. (Reporter: Baheramsyah, Translator: Wilda Stiana)