Millions of Lobster Seedlings Smuggled Abroad
Millions of lobster seedlings have been smuggled abroad in the past five years. From 2014 to April 2019, authorities have thwarted attempts to smuggle 7.5 million lobster seedlings worth Rp 1 trillion (US$70.75 million).
SUKABUMI, KOMPAS — Criminals continue to deplete Indonesia of its marine resource wealth. Using a network of lobster catchers and collectors, the seedlings of local lobsters (Panulirus sp.) are smuggled from the archipelago’s water abroad through illegal seaports on Sumatra’s eastern coast.
A Kompas investigation in May-June 2019 has found that smugglers are involved from early in the “supply chain”, from when the larvae are caught at sea. The larvae are caught in their natural habitats in the rocky waters of the Indian Ocean, spanning from Sumatra’s western coast to Java’s southern coast, and to Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi.
Cikahuripan village in Cisolok distrct of Sukabumi regency, West Java, is one village where the inhabitants make a livelihood from catching and gathering lobster seedlings. An investigation revealed that the illegal practice was rampant in the village, despite successful efforts at preventing their smuggling. In Banten, although lobster fishing is banned, local authorities turn a blind eye to lobster fishing off Binuangeun Beach. Around 1,000 bagan (traditional fish traps) are set every day to catch lobster seedlings in coastal waters.
Lobster collectors are also visibly active in the area, even though it is common knowledge that they work for smugglers.
BE, 53, who is related to a lobster seedling collector in Cikahuripan, said that collectors were in constant communication with foreign dealers in distributing the larvae.
The lobster seedlings are smuggled abroad through Sumatra after they are “revived” in Jakarta. “Before they are smuggled, the baby lobsters are first gassed with oxygen so they do not die,” said BE.
BE said that the four main collectors in his village – JD, BB, IB and AI, aka AF – had never been caught. Of the four, JD frequently provides loans to lobster catchers. The Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry’s fish quarantine and fishing quality control agency (BKIPM-KKP) was reportedly surveilling BB.
Collectors urge the fishermen and other villagers to catch large numbers of lobster seedlings. A single larva of the scalloped spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus) sells for Rp 7,000, and a single larva of the rock lobster (Panulirus ornatus) sells for Rp 40,000. One lobster catcher can gather 100 to 1,000 larvae in a single season.
Law enforcement officers rarely look into the practice, or into the smuggling of lobster seedlings by sea.
Navy First Armada commander Rear Adm. Yudo Margono said that the authorities were involved in smuggling lobster seedlings. He said the armada once failed to capture a lobster seedling collector in the waters of Bengkulu. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a Navy soldier had leaked information about the operation, said Yudo.
“The local thugs and collectors had paid him to inform them whenever we conducted checks. However, if it [involved] only thugs, it would not have been [effective]. The authorities must be involved,” he said.
Jambi
According to the map of lobster seedling smuggling, smugglers prefer going through Jambi. Lobster seedlings are caught in Java and transported to Jambi. Jambi water and air police director Sr. Comr. Fauzi Bakti said that many illegal seaports existed on Jambi’s eastern coast. “From these illegal seaports, smugglers can send lobster seedlings to Batam and then abroad in a single trip, without transiting,” he said.
Fauzi said that smuggling lobster seedlings was similar to smuggling drugs. The people in the supply chain do not know one another. The smuggler in Jambi, for instance, does not know the smugglers who transport the lobsters abroad. “He only knows the color of their speedboat and how to identify the persons. Once he hands over the lobster seedlings, his job’s done,” Fauzi said.
It is not easy to thwart the smuggling, most of which employ 800-horsepower to 1,000 HP speedboats that can reach speeds of 50 knots, or 92 kilometers per hour. The Navy does not possess vessels that can match these speedboats. Yudo said the Navy shoots the smugglers’ boats on sight. “At top speeds, the boats are nearly vertical [in the water],” he said.
Smuggling lobster seedlings is illegal, as it depletes Indonesia’s marine resources. “Millions of lobster seedlings worth trillions of rupiah have been smuggled abroad from Indonesia so far. If this is neglected, the lobsters will disappear from our waters,” said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti.
BKIPM-KKP head Rina said that the ministry and local authorities had thwarted attempts to smuggle 75 million lobster seedlings worth Rp 1 trillion from 2014 to April 2019. (NIA/ADY/MDN/ITA