It started in Lampung Province, as one of the largest Blue Swimming Crab (BSC) production areas in Indonesia, in which 10 to 15 percent of national blue swimming crab production is produced from the eastern coast of Lampung. There are more than 6,000 fishers and 2,000 dedicated workers at mini plants and factories in Lampung, dominated by female workers who depend on blue swimming crab resources for their livelihoods. Meanwhile, the population of blue swimming crabs in the sea continues to decline due to overfishing and BSC habitat degradation. This condition may lead to declining crab that could be caught by the fishers and may jeopardize their livelihood.
Aiming to ensure the long-term viability of BSC in Lampung, the Provincial Government of Lampung, in this case, the Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Lampung Province, in collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (hereinafter referred to as KKP) and BSC fishers, supply chain actors and industries, has developed an action plan for sustainable BSC fisheries management. The Lampung Provincial Government then established the Sustainable BSC Fisheries Management Committee, a multi-stakeholder forum to manage fisheries in Lampung Province and implement an action plan for sustainable BSC fisheries management (hereinafter referred to as KPPRB). KPPRB is made up of KKP, the Provincial Government, the Regency Government, universities, small BSC fishermen, collectors/builders, business representatives, the Indonesian Rajungan Management Association (APRI), and non-governmental organizations. BSC fishermen on the east coast of Lampung Province are the economic backbone of Indonesia’s maritime commodity sector.
The Lampung Provincial government has formed a multi-stakeholder forum called the Committee for Sustainable Management of BSC Fisheries (hereinafter referred to as KPPRB) to maximize the potential of fishermen in Sumber Agung Village, Central Lampung Regency, one of whose initiatives includes a representative group of BSC fishermen. In support of this, EDF Indonesia, in collaboration with Mitra Bentala, encouraged the formation of a Joint Business Group (hereinafter referred to as KUB) comprised of small
BSC fishermen at the village level, one of which is the Mina Usaha Lestari KUB, which is located in Sumber Agung Village, Bandar Surabaya District, Central Lampung Regency. KUB Mina Usaha Lestari serves as a communication forum for fishermen’s guidance and counseling, improving their welfare, voicing their interests so that other stakeholders can hear them, and empowering fishermen.
One of the activities carried out by KPPRB is to collect data on blue swimming crab fisheries so that the population can be managed properly and sustainably. Data collection allows us to understand the latest blue swimming crab’s stock condition, therefore we can determine the management strategy required to ensure blue swimming crab’s stock sustainability, as well as the fishers’ livelihood. Collecting data on blue swimming crab stock condition in the sea continuously, including:
- Record the catch, catch efforts (the type of fishing gears, the number of days spent on fishing, the number of fishing gears utilized, the soaking time of fishing gears, etc.), as well as the location of the fishing ground
- Measure the weight, carapace width, and record the sex, as well as the maturity of the eggs
- Collect the data for at least 20 days per month
Presently, EDF has also implemented the same method in West Java to extend sustainable fisheries management practice across the country.
Let’s apply sustainable fisheries management practice to maintain blue swimming crab stocks and its high-value. Blue swimming crab needs to be managed sustainably for the fishers’ livelihood and economic well-being in Lampung Province.
