›

English›Final Round of Karimunjawa...

Final Round of Karimunjawa Shrimp Farming

Name: Final Round of Karimunjawa Shrimp Farming
Uploaded: 2024-05-01T00:43:08Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: A number of shrimp ponds in Karimunjawa were closed after controlling. However, some farmers are still determined to operate.

A number of shrimp ponds in Karimunjawa were closed after controlling. However, some farmers are still determined to operate.

This article has been translated using AI. See Original .

KRISTI DWI UTAMI

· 7 minutes read

The government requests the activity of shrimp farming in the Karimunjawa Islands, Jepara Regency , Central Java, was discontinued because it had a negative impact on the environment. A number of ponds also stopped operating. Efforts to restore the affected environment are prepared.

One of the fish farmers who decided to stop operating their fish pond is Faisol (33), a resident of Kemujan Village, Karimunjawa District. Six fish ponds owned by Faisol, covering an area of 8,000 square meters, have ceased operations since February 2024.

Previously, in November 2023, Faisol was visited by a number of joint officers from various government agencies. At that time, the officers explained that Faisol's collection of seawater for his shrimp cultivation business violated the regulations. This is because the seawater was taken from the waters of the Karimunjawa National Park.

However, Law No. 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Biological Resources and their Ecosystems prohibits activities that are not in accordance with the functions of the utilization zone and other zones in national parks.

Apart from giving warnings, officers also cut the inlet pipe or water channel entering from the sea at Faisol ponds. ”My inlet pipe was cut about 80 centimeters from a total length of 300 meters. "(With these conditions) my pond can still operate until the last harvest in February 2024. After that, I no longer dare to operate," said Faisol, Tuesday (16/4/2024), in Karimunjawa.

Actually, Faisol hoped to continue his business, at least until he recovers his capital. However, he is afraid because he has signed a stamped letter of statement admitting his guilt and promising not to repeat his actions. The statement also mentioned that Faisol is ready to undergo legal proceedings if he violates it.

"Since starting my aquaculture business in 2021 and planting the seeds in early 2023, I have only harvested three times. For each harvest, my net profit is around Rp 50 million. However, the capital investment for this business is around Rp 1.5 billion," said Faisol.

Also read: The story of the pros and cons of shrimp farming in Karimunjawa

Another shrimp farmer, Sugeng Prayogo (27), is also willing to close the operation of his five fish ponds in Karimunjawa Village in March 2024. Like Faisol, Sugeng admitted to having signed a stamped statement letter in November 2023.

Since it stopped operating, Sugeng's fish pond has been abandoned. A number of tools to support the operation of the fish pond were left just like that around it. When asked about his future plans, Sugeng admitted that he did not have any plans yet.

Meanwhile, Suroto (43), a farmer from Kemujan Village, chose to continue operating his fishpond, even though he had signed the same statement as Faisol and Sugeng.

According to Suroto, officials also asked his fishpond to cease operations at the latest four months after November 2023. Suroto said that the request was conveyed orally by the officials. "I am not challenging the officials, but my principle is one, I am working to support my family. If my fishpond is closed, I ask for solutions for my future livelihood," he said.

Suroto stated that there are 33 vaname shrimp pond locations in the Karimunjawa region. As of mid-April 2024, there were still around six active pond locations.

Also read: Various problems caused by shrimp pond waste in Karimunjawa

In October-November 2023, a joint team of several government agencies conducted an operation to crackdown on shrimp pond activities in Karimunjawa. In addition to asking for the cessation of shrimp pond operations, authorities also designated four shrimp farmers as suspects related to the pollution of shrimp farm waste in the Karimunjawa National Park.

The determination of suspects was carried out by the Environmental Law Enforcement and Forestry Investigator of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in the Java-Bali-Nusa Tenggara region. Information regarding the appointment of the four suspects was conveyed last March.

Closing

Meanwhile, a number of residents in Karimunjawa hope that all the shrimp ponds in the area will be closed soon. This is because the waste generated from the shrimp ponds is considered to have harmed the community, especially those who make a living from the sea.

"Fishermen, shellfish harvesters, seaweed farmers, fish cage owners, and others are experiencing significant income decline due to contaminated waters from shrimp ponds," said Yarhanudin (47), a resident of Kemujan Village.

Yarhanudin also requested for the restoration of environment damaged by pond waste to be carried out as soon as possible. The former pond holes are expected to be filled and the mangrove trees that were cut down during the construction of the pond are hoped to be planted again.

"Coral reefs that are affected by mud or sediment waste from shrimp ponds also need to be cleaned up. Then, damaged or dead corals need to be transplanted. Bring in experts to analyze, what kind of rehabilitation treatment is needed," said Yarhanudin.

Also read: The Dilemma of Vaname Shrimp Farms Among the Charm of Karimunjawa

Widyastuti, the head of the Karimunjawa National Park, stated that rehabilitation in the waters will be carried out through coral reef restoration. Officials will plant coral seedlings in locations affected by damage. Periodically, the planted coral will be monitored, cleaned if mossy, sewn or replaced with new ones when dead.

"For those on land, as long as the location is a mangrove growth area, we will certainly do reforestation. The existence of mangroves is very important as a barrier during high waves or strong winds, including to prevent abrasion," he said.

Also read: Karimunjawa on the Edge

The Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs of the Jepara Regional Secretariat, Hery Yuliyanto, stated that former shrimp pond areas must be restored in accordance with spatial function. The man, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Integrated Team for the Resolution of Shrimp Ponds in Karimunjawa, suggested that planting mangroves is one of the proposed steps for restoration efforts.

"Yesterday there was a proposal to re-plant mangroves in the land areas. Then, there was also a discussion to turn some of the fish ponds into fishing or tourist spots. The decision regarding this restoration will be discussed further in the future with relevant parties, including the provincial and central government, and the community," said Hery.

The Jepara Regency government also plans to restore the social and economic conditions of the community through dozens of programs with a total budget of up to IDR 6 billion. Some of these programs include aid distribution, training, empowerment, infrastructure development, and scholarship provision.

"These programs are not only for pond workers who lost their jobs due to pond closures, but for the entire Karimunjawa community, including those whose livelihoods are affected by the pollution of pond waste, such as fishermen or tourism entrepreneurs. From the data we collected, there are approximately 100 native Karimunjawa residents who work in shrimp ponds," said Hery.

Fishermen, shellfish gatherers, seaweed farmers, fish cage owners, and others have experienced a significant decrease in income due to the contamination of waters by waste from shrimp farms.

According to Hery, shrimp farming activities, whether traditional, semi-intensive, or intensive, are prohibited in Karimunjawa. This is in accordance with the Jepara District Regional Regulation Number 4 of 2023 concerning the Spatial Planning of Jepara District for the years 2023-2043. Moreover, as a small island, Karimunjawa's environmental carrying capacity is also small and therefore vulnerable to damage due to activities such as shrimp farming.

"After being checked by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, it turns out there is already a potential for coral damage due to shrimp pond waste. Therefore, the waste produced from shrimp feed triggers the excessive growth of certain microorganisms. This condition makes other microorganisms defeated and the ecosystem becomes unbalanced," said Hery.

Hery added that in order to accommodate shrimp farming activities, the Jepara Regency Government has prepared around 10 hectares of land outside the Karimunjawa area. The land in Mlonggo district, Jepara, can be rented by the community or investors who are interested in running shrimp farming businesses.

Through various efforts, the shrimp farming industry that has caused damage in Karimunjawa is hoped to be completely stopped so that the environmental conditions in the islands can be restored.

Editor:

HARIS FIRDAUS

Final Round of Karimunjawa Shrimp Farming

About AI Translated Article

Closing