Extinction of certain endemic fish species in a number of Indonesian waters pose a serious threat to the efforts to preserve the variety of the country`s fish resources.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The marine and fishery ministry has warned of extinction of Indonesian endemic fish species with the breeding of foreign fish species in Indonesian waters.

Extinction of certain endemic fish species in a number of Indonesian waters pose a serious threat to the efforts to preserve the variety of the countrys fish resources, Marine and Fisheries Minister Sharif C. Sutardjo said here on Wednesday.

This should serve as a lesson for the country to take a concrete step immediately to minimize and prevent the negative effects of breeding foreign fish species in the countrys waters, Sharif said.

He said the ministry already took a number of preventive measure such as with the issuance of regulation based on the United Nations Convention animal diversity .

The ministry has also provided reference for steps to be taken by related institutions in controlling invasive species , he said in a seminar on strategy to control invasive fish species here on Monday.

For that purpose it is necessary to identify invasive fish species that control and supervision could be directed properly and effectively, he added.

He said in order to prevent and control invasive species all related agencies need to be involved through strong coordination in addressing the problem caused .

The government needs to support research development related to negative impact of the breeding of invasive foreign fish species in the Indonesian waters, he said.

He cited the agriculture ministry, the forestry ministry and the ministry of environment should take part in the efforts to preserve Indonesian endemic fish species.

The efforts should be under the coordination of the ministry of the environment as the focal point of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), he said.

A complete information system is needed on the breeding and spreading of invasive species and to detect the threat to the existence of endemic fish species in the country.

Head of the Fish Quarantine Agency (BKIPM)Narmoko Prasmadji said on the sideline of the seminar that control must be tight in all ports to prevent entry of potential invasive fish species.

Narmoko said the introduction of foreign fish species already had negative impact in Indonesia and many other countries.

He cited the explosion of the population of gold snail and mujair, a fresh water fish species, creating imbalance even causing extinction of other fish species .

A number of local endemic fish species have fallen victim to the explosion of the invasive foreign fish species, he said.

The population of Mujair in the Cirata dam has declined but ironically Louhan fish grew fast and in the Sempor dam where originally Betik fish was found in abundance is now near extinction giving ground for Louhan and Oscar fish species , he noted.

Similar trend was also found in a number of Indonesian sea waters.

Narmoko said the foreign fishes have also brought fish diseases to the country.

He said there were 13 foreign fish diseases have been identified in the country such as Lerneae cyprinacea attcking fresh water gold fish, Viral Nervous Necrosis Virus (VNNV) attacking the groupers, Koi herpes virus (KHV) attacking Koi and Gold fish and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) attacking shrimp.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014