The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has decided to temporarily halt lobster larvae exports due to the need for improving lobster resource management, as requested by the House of Representatives.
By
kompas team
·5 minutes read
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo wears a prison vest after the investigation by the Corruption Eradication Commission investigator team at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (25/11/2020).
The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has decided to temporarily halt lobster larvae exports due to the need for improving lobster resource management, as requested by the House of Representatives.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — A day after Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and named a suspect in connection with a bribery case pertaining to lobster cultivation business permits, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry announced its decision to temporarily suspend lobster larvae exports. The suspension is expected to provide a moment for the country to improve domestic lobster resource management and cultivation.
The suspension of lobster larvae exports is stipulated in circular No. B22891/DJPT/IPI.130/XI/2020 concerning the temporary discontinuation of the issuance of time determination letter (SPWP) issued by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s Capture Fisheries Directorate General. The circular was signed by the director general for capture fisheries, Muhammad Zaini, on Thursday (26/11/2020).
The SPWP issuance is suspended for an undetermined time. Other than for improving the management of lobster larvae, the suspension will also provide an opportunity to revise the government regulation (PP) concerning the collection of nontax revenue within ministries. Currently, the SPWP is one of the export requirements.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Edhy Prabowo when presented at a press conference held by the Corruption Eradication Commission regarding the case of suspected bribery for lobster cultivation permits in 2020 at the KPK Building, Jakarta, on Thursday (26/11/2020) in the morning.
According to Zaini, the temporary discontinuation of lobster larvae exports is in line with a request made by the House. During a working meeting between the House Commission IV and several ministries in Jakarta on Sept. 22, 2020, the commission urged the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and the Finance Ministry to issue a PP on nontax revenue from lobster larvae exports within 60 days after the meeting. If the ministries fail to do so, the Commission IV proposed a temporary suspension of lobster larvae exports.
Following the KPK’s investigation and the resignation of Edhy from his ministerial post, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo picked Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan to serve as interim maritime affairs and fisheries minister. The Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Ministry’s undersecretary for marine resources, Safri Burhanuddin, said Luhut had scheduled a closed-door meeting with the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s leaders for Friday (27/11).
Evaluation
Lobster larvae exports are regulated by Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Regulation No. 12/2020 issued on May 4, 2020. According to the regulation, the stipulation of quotas for lobster larvae exports and the locations for catching lobster larvae must be in accordance with the National Commission on Fish Stock Assessment’s annual report. Exporters are also required to cultivate lobsters within the country and involve the public and/or local cultivators in the process. Aside from that, the larvae must be obtained from registered small-scale fishing businesses.
The prohibition on lobster larvae exports imposed between 2015 and 2019 had reportedly prompted smuggling activities that only benefitted certain groups.
The coordinator of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s advisory team, Rokhmin Dahuri, said the current regulation on lobster larvae exports was proper. The prohibition on lobster larvae exports imposed between 2015 and 2019 had reportedly prompted smuggling activities that only benefitted certain groups. As a consequence, the state received no revenue at all.
Nevertheless, Rokhmin added, if the implementation proved incorrect, lobster larvae exports ought to be temporarily halted and evaluated. According to Rokhmin, there are three aspects that have been “distorted” in the implementation of lobster larvae exports. First, the export cargo price, set at Rp 1,800 per lobster, is deemed too high. Meanwhile, there are numerous cargo companies that offer much lower tariffs, as low as Rp 200 per lobster.
Second, the purchase of lobster larvae has become increasingly aggressive due to the absence of basic pricing instruments. Third, speculation is rife that Vietnam has played the market by suppressing the selling price of lobster larvae. All of these aspects have burdened businesses.
Indonesian Marine Fish Farming Association chairman Effendy Wong argued that regulations must underscore the development of domestic lobster cultivation in Indonesia.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
The atmosphere of a press conference held by the Corruption Eradication Commission related to the case of suspected bribery for lobster cultivation permits in 2020 at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Thursday (26/11/2020) in the early hours. In this case, the KPK named seven suspects, one of whom was Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Edhy Prabowo.
However, the increase of lobster larvae exports has posed difficulties for local fish farmers to acquire lobster larvae at affordable prices. Moreover, a number of exporting companies have allegedly formed partnerships with local fish farmers merely to fulfill the requirements for lobster larvae exports.
Edhy’s replacement
Gerindra Party deputy chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said his party would respect the legal actions against Edhy and trust President Jokowi with the selection of Edhy’s replacement as the maritime affairs and fisheries minister. Gerindra itself will soon choose a replacement to fill Edhy’s position as one of Gerindra’s deputy chairmen.
Last night, the KPK arrested Andreau Pribadi Misata, Edhy’s expert staff member who also helms the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s due diligence team for lobster cultivation businesses, and businessman Amiril Mukminin. Currently, seven people are detained for their alleged involvement in the lobster larvae exports case. KPK law enforcement head Karyoto said there might still be other figures suspected of being involved in the case. (LKT/BOW/NAD)
