KKP Ministerial Regulation Makes Lobster Seed Exporters Elbow And Recruit Fishermen

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has issued lobster seed export permits to 26 companies. The granting of this permit departs from the enactment of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation 12/2020.

However, the impact of this policy is that these entrepreneurs compete to recruit fishermen. Representative of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Union (KNTI) as well as lobster cultivators from East Lombok, Amin Abdullah, revealed that currently in his area there is mutual elbowing between exporters in fishermen data collection.

Furthermore, Amin said that these businessmen often ask for fishermen's Identity Cards (KTP) to be registered with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) so that these potential exporters will get a share of lobster seed exports. Because one of the provisions in allowing exports is to invite traditional fishermen to cooperate.

"Currently, elbowing is happening in Lombok. All of these companies, based on field facts, all go to the field to collect data on fishermen. Looking for fisherman ID cards, in the context of quotas to export seeds. In the KKP Regulation, which has a quota, fishermen are not exporters "So this company flocked," he said, in a virtual discussion, Friday, July 10.

Amin said that the fishermen did not understand how to arrange a permit to catch lobster seeds. Most of those who understand are people who are on "land", aka not those who work directly at sea.

According to Amin, this weakness is then exploited by prospective exporters to register fishermen as catchers of lobster seeds.

"What will happen in the future is that there will be a clash. 'Oh, I am from the mountain. I have a permit to catch seeds. You are a fishing community but do not have a permit, so you cannot catch the seeds, so that's what will happen," he explained.

As is well known, the decision of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries regarding the export of these seeds has generated various reactions. No exception, the former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti, who via her personal Twitter account also spoke out.

Susi explained the list of companies that have obtained the permit to catch lobster seeds from the KKP. From the data revealed by Susi, there are 26 companies that have obtained permits.

"And exports to the 26 companies above. Amazing! What is the justification that gives them these privileged rights? Who are they? What? What? What? Can DJPT explain it to the public clearly?" wrote Susi.

Edhy Prabowo's claim

Regarding this, KKP Minister Edhy Prabowo spoke up. According to him, the data is very transparent and has been validated by the license of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.

"It has received approval from the Coordinating Minister for Luhut and currently the lobster seed export policy is just waiting for the President's approval," said Edhy, in Jakarta, Thursday, July 2.

Edhy explained that as the regulator, his party had also reported various technical matters regarding the implementation of the opening of the lobster seed export regulations and the regulations were clear.

Furthermore, he said, the regulation was contained in the revised Regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 56 / Permen-KP / 2016 concerning the Prohibition of Catching and / or Exporting Lobster (Panulirus spp), Crab (Scylla spp), and Ranjungan (Portunus spp) from Territory of the Republic of Indonesia.

In addition, Edhy also emphasized that the 26 lobster seed exporters mentioned by Susi had gone through various stages of process and fulfilled the requirements according to the regulations in force at the KKP.

"Moreover, the export company data is also not confidential data because it can be asked directly to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries," he said.