Price Of Expensive Equipment, Muara Angke Fisherman Asks For Rules For Using VMS To Be Revoked

Two fishermen transport green shells in the area of the house on stilts and floating Muara Angke, Jakarta, Monday (25/11/2024). (ANTARA PHOTO/Aprillio Akbar/Spt)

JAKARTA - Fisherman Muara Angke, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, asked the Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Fisheries (KKP) regulation which requires fishermen by boat below 30 Gross Tons (GT) to use a system monitoring device based on the "Vessel MonitoringSystem" (VMS) signal to be revoked. This is because VMS is considered very burdensome for small fishermen.

"We refused. It's as if it had fallen and was hit by a ladder," said Haji Suhari squid fisherman in Jakarta, Sunday.

According to him, the regulations regulated in the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 42 of 2015 concerning the Fisheries Ship Monitoring System make fishermen have to buy devices with a value of Rp. 18 million per unit.

In addition, if it is installed, there is an annual extension fee that is charged to these small fishermen. Not only that, but fishermen are also haunted by the sanctions of fines if they catch fish outside their zoning.

"Don't burden fishermen, especially many fishermen who don't understand technology like this," he said, as reported by ANTARA.

He emphasized that fishermen from North Jakarta reject this and will convey that this rule is revoked by the KKP directly. He hopes that this aspiration can be accepted.

"We tried the hearing but if there is no follow-up we will take to the streets. This rejection was also carried out by fishermen from other areas," he said.

Another Muara Angke fisherman, Ji Kasum, added that with this VMS, the presence of fishermen is tracked down and if they catch fish outside their zone, they will be subject to sanctions.

"There are already fishermen who have been sanctioned. That is even more burdensome because that is the ignorance of fishermen," he said.

He said this regulation was burdensome because the income of fishermen who went to sea was also uncertain because sometimes it produced sometimes not. "This is what we will voice so that the government can hear it and this rule is revoked and returned to the original regulations," he said.

Previously, the Head of the Rising Farmers and Fishermen Movement (Gerbang Tani) Tri Waluyo said, at the Muara Angke pier there were more than 1,000 fishermen by boat below 30 GT. Not to mention fishermen from Kamal Muara and Kali Baru Jakarta as well as other small fishermen.

The fishermen admitted that they strongly objected because the rule was the same as strangling them. "Not to mention the annual tax they have to pay of Rp. 6 million per year," he said.

He said that with the VMS, he would also know the position of fishing boats when going to sea. If they are outside the capture zoning, administrative sanctions will be given and fines in accordance with these regulations.

In fact, if the fishing boat engine dies and they are carried away by the sea wind outside their catch zoning, they will also be fined.

He said the fishermen who use boats under 30 GT are small fishermen. They have various obstacles when going to sea, ranging from difficulty getting access to subsidized fuel oil, bad weather that prevents them from going to sea and others.

"If the ship does not install this VMS, they are not allowed to go to sea and if they force to go to sea there will be fines," he said.

So in terms of regulations, there is a lot to be fulfilled and the capital of money is quite a lot, while at this time the income earned is not clear.

Some managed to bring the fish home and not a few returned empty-handed. "This is what the government needs to study so that this regulation really makes fishermen prosperous, don't add to their burden," he said.

Gerbang Tani as the wing organization of the National Awakening Party (PKB) will facilitate these fishermen to meet representatives of the people in the DPR RI and KKP through the PKB faction to convey this aspiration.

"We are waiting for fishermen from outside the area to come to Jakarta and meet with the Indonesian House of Representatives and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries," he said.