Cultivation Of KJA Pangandaran Lobster Already Based On Research

Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) Padjadjaran University (Unpad) Yudi Nurul Ihsan stated that lobster cultivation activities using floating net cage technology (KJA) in Pangandaran waters, West Java, have been research-based.

"So it is certain that it will not interfere with the sustainability of the marine ecosystem," said Yudi as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 12.

He revealed that research on clear lobsters in Pangandaran was carried out several years ago because his party has a campus in the area.

In addition, the source of clear lobster seeds (BBL) is easy to find in Pangandaran waters.

Yudi said that his party conducted research from various aspects with the conclusion that BBL should be arrested, cultivated.

"Why? Because it turns out that the low survival rate for BBL is not because it is a food for other marine biota, but because it is ironic," he said.

By cultivating it, he said, it can bring economic benefits to the surrounding community.

Therefore, he regretted the rejection of lobster cultivation activities using KJA in Pangandaran waters.

In fact, lobster cultivation can support the economic growth of the community, as well as be an example of modern lobster cultivation education.

There are not only lobsters, there are often also. So this has the potential to have a big economic impact for the community. It's just a matter of setting up the area between cultivation, tourism activities and I make sure that this is regulated will not interfere with each other because the water areas there are quite large," he said.

According to him, that is the purpose of an Approval for the Compliance of Marine Spatial Utilization Activities (PKKPRL) issued by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is owned by cultivators so that there is no conflict in the use of marine space in the field.

Usually, in the process of issuing PKKPRL, there are already existing rules such as the registration stage through electronically integrated business licensing or "online single submission", and the assessment of application documents.

The application document assessment process has gone through the administrative verification stage, and technical assessment.

In the Technical Assessment of the PKKPRL application, the KKP always involves the Provincial Marine and Fisheries Service.

"As far as I know, the location of the KJA attributable is in accordance with Regional Regulation Number 9 of 2022 concerning the Regional Spatial Planning (RTRW) of West Java Province. In the West Java RTRW Regional Regulation, the cultivation location is in the Limited Utilization Zone for the Pangandaran Coastal Park Conservation Area and is allowed," he explained.

He added, after the issuance of PKKPRL, legal subjects are also required to have other permits such as Environmental Approval and Risk-Based Business Licensing in carrying out their activities.

"So the issue of damaging the environment doesn't make sense, all permits have been fulfilled," he said.

He added that the location of the KJA lobster in Pangandaran was correct because the water conditions were quite calm, with a depth of 6-7 meters which was suitable for cultivation activities.

According to him, cultivation activities in large reshuffle locations are at risk of failure because they can damage the KJA infrastructure itself.

The incident occurred in the era of Minister Susi in 2018. A total of eight offshore KJA which cost billions of rupiah were damaged by the waves.

"If you just play without research, it's like what happened in Pangandaran before, it becomes garbage and billions of money is lost," he explained.

Berdasarkan catatan, di era Susi Pudjiastuitu menjadi Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan, memang ada proyek keramba jaring apung lepas pantai atau KJA offshore di Kabupaten Pangandaran pada 2018 silam dan kini dalam kondisi terbengkalai.

Delapan unit KJA offshore itu rusak karena dihempas gelombang. Proyek KJA offshore dibiayai APBN 2017 sebesar Rp42 miliar per daerah. Anggaran besar itu digunakan untuk membeli teknologi keramba dan fasilitasnya dari Norwegia.

Based on records, in the era of Susi Pudjiastu as Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, there was indeed an offshore floating net cage project or KJA offshore in Pangandaran Regency in 2018 and now it is abandoned.

The eight offshore KJA units were damaged due to being hit by waves. The offshore KJA project was financed by the 2017 State Budget of IDR 42 billion per region. The large budget is used to purchase cage technology and facilities from Norway.