Heading to Sea Under in Tumultuous ‘Clouds’

Kompas/Aditya Putra Perdana

A fisherman holds up a cantrang (seine net) on Thursday (15/2) at the Bajomulyo Beach fishing boat harbor in Juwana, Pati, Central Java. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry issued permits for ships that have agreed to switch from using the fishing nets to more environmentally friendly fishing equipment.

Fisherman Samiin, 47, and his crew were preparing to head out to sea on Thursday (15/2) under heavy clouds at the Bajomulyo Beach fishing harbor in Pati, Central Java. This was their first fishing trip of the year.

Bajomulyo, the only fishing harbor in Juwana, Pati, was busier than usual. Amid erratic weather, several fishermen were seen preparing their boats, including those equipped with cantrang (seine net) that had led to licensing issues. “We are getting ready to go out to sea,” said Samiin, captain of the Mekarsari motorized fishing vessel.

That day, Samiin watched over his crew who were coiling the mooring ropes. They were also preparing 50 tons of ice for cooling their catch, which includes the purple-spotted bigeye and the goldband goatfish. They were making preparations as they awaited the Mekarsari’s seagoing certificate from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry after registering their fishing vessel.

It has been more than a month since Samiin and the Mekarsari’s 17 crew went out to sea. Apart from weather conditions, they also faced the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Regulation No. 2/2015, which was amended by Regulation No. 71/2016.

In line with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s order, fishing boats could head out to sea while transitioning from cantrang to more environmentally friendly fishing equipment. Boats must be registered, verified and past a seaworthiness check before they can be certified. The boat owners must also provide a statement of intent that agrees to switching to more environmentally friendly fishing equipment.

The only thing the captains and crew of these boats want is to go out to sea again. “We haven’t worked this past month, as we have no other skills. We were forced to use our savings and sometimes borrow [money] to cover our daily needs,” Samiin said.

The man’s expression changed suddenly when the subject of switching from the cantrang was broached. He could not hide his concerns. For Samiin, the switch involves a prolonged process through the government than simply replacing fishing equipment. It is not only a matter of cost, but also about persistent habits.

Medium-sized cantrang boats in Pati usually fish the Java Sea from 10 days to a month, going out as far as Bawean Island in Gresik regency, East Java. “If we use gillnets or millennium nets, we have to go to the Arafura Sea to fish. We could spend three to four months at sea,” he said.

Samiin said that, apart from the risks of heading further out to sea than usual, he was not convinced that he could catch as many fish with a gillnet as with a cantrang. Furthermore, his crew were not used to being far away from their families for so long.

Thus far, Samiin and his 17 crew readied Rp 150 million (US$11,100) for a single fishing trip. In one month, they harvest about 50 tons of fishes, including the purple-spotted bigeye, goldband goatfish and ponyfish (Leiognathidae). With a revenue of Rp 300 million to RP 400 million, the profit is divided among the boat owner, the captain and crew. Each crew member takes home Rp 2.5 million to Rp 4 million.

Cantrang fishing boat captain Matuqqin, 45, who is based in Rembang, said that he was not ready to change his fishing equipment because of financial reasons. He said that he had prospered because of the cantrang.

Matuqqin said he would be prepared to switch to more environmentally friendly fishing equipment as long as the change promised good fishing yields and revenues. “Once there are fishermen who have made the switch to gillnets and can make as much revenue as with the cantrang, we’ll be ready,” he said.

Small fish wasted

The controversial cantrang usually measures 1.3 meters by 1.3 meters. The net is attached to a boat and is deployed by casting it, and is hauled in by a machine. Four men are required to operate the net, while the boat continues to sail at normal speed.

Joko, 25, a crew member  of a cantrang boat based in Pati, said the cantrang net usually trapped small fish such as anchovies. As these fish were not marketable, they were usually discarded. However, he said that small fish were sometimes brought back onshore and offered to buyers when they had a less than optimal fish yield.

Amid the registration and verification of cantrang boats at the Tasikagung Beach fishing harbor in Rembang on Tuesday (13/2), Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said that cantrang boats of 70-100 gross tons usually wasted from 100 kilograms and 1 ton of small fishs.

“Large boats over 100 gross tons might waste between 500 kilograms and a ton [of small fish] each day. If so, 1,000 boats might waste at least 500 tons. If the fish were left to mature, how much money could  we make? We have to think about this to improve small fishermen’s fishing yield,” Susi said.

Whatever the case, the boat owners on Central Java’s northern coast have expressed their willingness to switch to more environmentally friendly fishing equipment, even though no deadlines have been set. At least this step has been achieved.