Anticipating Smuggling, KKP Review Regulations On Managing Lobster Seed Exports

Director General of Strengthening Competitiveness for Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP) KKP Budi Sulistiyo. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is reviewing regulations regarding the export management of lobster clear seeds (BBL). This was done in response to the frequent smuggling of BBL from a number of places in Indonesia until it was finally sent illegally abroad.

"At the KKP, it's studying how this BBL management is, so it's not a ban. So, everyone is being studied how it will be optimized, its use is for the sustainability of the resources itself," said the Director General of Strengthening Competitiveness for Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP) KKP Budi Sulistiyo to reporters in Bandung, West Java, Wednesday, October 11.

"Then, (optimation of) economic value for local cultivators, the Indonesian economy, and also for real security," he added.

Budi assessed that his party wanted to review the regulations related to governance because it was an effort to improve the experience of the KKP so far.

"Because (BBL) is one of the resources whose economic value is indeed high, so it must be useful and have an impact on the community, that's what we prioritize," he said.

The KKP conducted a study on BBL governance in collaboration with experts, experts, and cooperation between countries.

Furthermore, Budi targets that the governance regulations regarding the export of BBL will be completed by the end of 2023.

"This governance (test) is targeted as soon as possible. Hopefully, the end of the year (2023)," he said.

As previously reported, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has identified a pattern of smuggling lobster clear seeds (BBL) from a number of places in Indonesia, until they were eventually sent illegally abroad. One of them was done using a fishing boat.

"Officers have identified BBL-producing areas, it was found that there was a role for collectors in distributing BBL," said Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision Adin Nurawaluddin in a written statement, Friday, July 14.

Adin said that the distribution pattern carried out by the perpetrators was identified as using land routes, sea routes, and air lines with BBL distribution patterns starting from small collectors, then to large collectors to cultivators or to other locations.

This identification was obtained from the results of surveillance operations held in the working area of the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the Directorate General of PSDKP, which includes the working area of Lampulo PSDKP Base, Jakarta PSDKP Base, Cilacap PSDKP Station, Bitung PSDKP Base, Benoa PSDDP Base, Kupang PSDKP Station, and Batam PSDKP Base.