Big Smiles from Natuna Fishermen

Fortunately, those sad stories of fishermen have started to go away and now they are smiling happily.

Kompas/Tatang Mulyana Sinaga

Fishermen come home from sea through Pering Port in Natuna regency, Riau Islands, Monday (4/12). The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has given aid in the form of 60 ships to help increase catch rates, thereby helping local fisherman to benefit from the regency’s Integrated Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Center.

Fishermen on the borders of the country, including in Natuna, have their share of problems – from the trap of being middlemen to “losing” in their own sea because fish are constantly being stolen. Fortunately, those sad stories have started to go away and now they are smiling happily.

The smile of Nurrohman, 46, a Natuna regency fisherman, has grown in the last few years. Why shouldn’t it have? As the head of the Green Indonesia Cooperatives, he has felt the positive effects of the government’s toughness, manifested in its move to sink foreign ships.

According to Nurrohman, it seems as if local fishermen now have hope. One of the realizations of their bright hope was evident six months ago when Nurrohman caught an 80 kilogram grouper in the Natuna Sea.

“That was my biggest catch in ten years of being a fisherman. Before, when foreign ships were allowed here, even 40 kg of fish was hard to get,” he said when interviewed at Selat Lapa Port in Natuna.

Nurrohman’s has also benefited from the presence of the Integrated Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Center (SKPT), established by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.

Although it is not yet in full operation, the benefits of the SKPT, which was built with an investment of Rp 112.2 billion, are already felt by the fishermen. Since five months ago, the fishermen have been able to sell their catch easier at a relatively stable price. What is also important is that the fishermen have also managed to break free from the grasp of middlemen.

At the SKPT, there is certainty in regards to the selling price for the fishermen. This is because the catch are absorbed by the Indonesian General Fisheries Company and then transported through the sea toll path to Java Island. When the middlemen’s price of mackerel tuna is Rp 12,000 per kg, Perindo buys it from the fishermen for Rp 15,000 per kg. Octopus, meanwhile, is bought for Rp 30,000 per kg by Perindo, twice as much as the price the middlemen would buy it for.

Not only do they get selling price certainty, the SKPT also makes it easier for fishermen to buy diesel fuel at a special petrol station for fishermen in the location for Rp 5,150 per liter. Previously, the price of diesel was Rp 8,000 at retail sellers. “The benefit of SKPT has started to be felt by fishermen. Filling up diesel fuel is easier and cheaper,” said Abdul Kadir, head of the Natuna North End Border Fishermen Cooperatives.

The construction of a number of SKPT facilities has continued to be carried out quickly and is targeted to be completed by the end of December 2017. A fish auction center has also yet to be operated as the fishermen are still waiting for a regional government regulation that would act as a legal umbrella for increasing retribution.

Bigger boats

Amid the scorching heat of the sun at Selat Lampa Port last Tuesday, farmers stood at the end of the pier. One of them, Abdul Kadir, who, along with his colleagues, was waiting for aid in the form of ships from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. They were scheduled to arrive that day.

For Kadir, the ships, which were 5 to 20 gross tons in size, were part of the solution to put an end to the gloomy days. All this time, the fishermen have not been catching much fish because they have been using ships that are below 5 GT.

With its fisheries potential reaching 1.15 million tons, the Natuna Sea has long been a magnet for foreign fishermen, who are equipped with sophisticated fish-searching equipment, whereas the majority of local fishermen still implement one-day fishing strategies. Only a few fishermen go to sea for three to five days at a time.

“It is no wonder that there has been uncertainty over the catch of domestic fishermen. During the catch season, fishermen can get around 50 kilograms a day. However, during famine, the catch would fall to 20 kilograms per day,” Kadir said.

Foreign fishermen also use trawls, which are not environmentally friendly because small fish are unintentionally caught in them.

Not only did they have to deal with the matter of small ship sizes and the “harshness” of foreign fishermen, the Natuna fishermen were also burdened by the high price of fuel. They had to buy diesel for Rp 8,000 per liter from retail sellers because the nearest petrol station was around 76 kilometers away.

As a result, the profits gained from selling their catch was not enough to cover for the cost of going to sea. They were forced to borrow money from middlemen to pay for future fishing trips at sea. The consequence of this is that they were not able to do much when the middlemen set a low buying price for the fish. They had no choice when the collectors asked for a low price because, if they did not sell them, their fish would go bad and they would suffer even more losses.

Challenges

The aid of 60 ships sized 5 to 20 GT from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry does not automatically guarantee the fishermen’s prosperity. The fishermen must also work hard to improve their skills.

Natuna fishermen have a habit of going to sea individually. With a bigger ship, the fishermen need to be educated about how to fish as a group using environmentally friendly tools.

To address this concern, the Natuna regency administration will provide training on the use of nets to around 200 fishermen at the start of 2018. “The training will be prioritized for fishermen that are the recipients of ships from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry,” said Natuna Fisheries Agency head Suherman.

The ministry’s director of permits and fishermen affairs, Saifuddin, said that the aim of the SKPT was to build and integrate the use of marine and fisheries resources. Other than in Natuna, SKPT has also been established in 11 other border areas, namely Saumlaki, Merauke, Mentawai, Nunukan, Talaud, Morotai, Biak Numfor, Mimika, Rote Ndao, Sumba Timur and Sabang.

Saifudding said that a multi-aspect approach was needed to reach the target, which he said could be met by building facilities and infrastructure and training fishermen; however, it was also important to strengthen the production chain and start fishery businesses on small islands.

“One of the breakthrough facilities at the SKPT was a cold storage facility with a capacity of around 300 tons, even though at the moment it is not yet 100 percent filled,” he said.

With the absence of interference from foreign ships and with the proper facilities and infrastructure, the Natuna Sea looks promising again for fishermen. They have started to dare to dream about prosperity.