"The team has task to examine scientifically on why all these prohibited fishing gears damaging the environment," Kadin`s Deputy Chairman for Maritime and Fisheries Yugi Prayanto said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) suggested the government to immediately establish an independent team to assess prohibited various fishing tools of drag trawl and heave trawl as well as "cantrang", shaped-pouch fishing net with two panels with no opening at the net.

"The team has task to examine scientifically on why all these prohibited fishing gears damaging the environment," Kadins Deputy Chairman for Maritime and Fisheries Yugi Prayanto said here on Tuesday, adding that the team consisting of representatives of the government, academia, and fishermen.

Yugi put forward the information related to the ban on the operation of various fishing gears based on Regulation No.2 / 2015 and Regulation 71/2016.

According to Kadin, suppose the operation of such fishing gears seriously damage the environment, the independent team need to find alternative fishing tools that do not damage the environment.

He argued, the using of environmentally friendly fishing gears should not prohibit the use of fishing gears, but to regulate and manage it.

"The recommendation of the Ombudsman said it needs to postpone the application of the rules. The regulation should be disseminated and new studies should be done. After all of these steps completed, the government can issue new regulations for at least two years," he said.

On the other hand, he continued, the "cantrang" users fishermen hope that the tool can be legalized nationwide, or at least the prohibition can be postponed two to three years to make them adapt with the rules.

He further said the fact is the government has not been seriously preparing the transitional condition, including to provide nets.

"In addition, the fishermen still have debts in the banks. Now the cantrang is already banned and considered problematic there is no way to get additional capital free of charge and without interest," Yugi said.

The policies on the prohibition of fishing vessels using cantrang has been showing impacts. There are about 15 surimi (a paste made from fish) factories stop operating since the beginning of January 2017.

Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Fishery Products Processing and Marketing (AP51) Budhi Wibowo has recently argued, surimi factories are difficult to get small fish raw materials.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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