Catching the Last Lobster Larva
Just before dusk, RA headed out to sea to catch lobster larvae on an outrigger boat from Cisolok Beach in Sukabumi regency, West Java. Different from fishing boats, RA’s outrigger boat was equipped with four poles, each with three lights attached.
In the hull were eight black fishing nets and four sets of electrical cables for the lights, which would be submerged.
RA usually spent 14 hours from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning catching lobster larvae just 12-15 kilometers from Cisolok Beach, a distance that took 30 minutes to travel.
On arriving at the spot, RA and a crew member, CA, readied 16 LED lights, each with an intensity of 45 watts.
The lights are used to lure the lobster larvae into the fishing nets. Twelve lights are attached to the top of poles that stand in the boat; the other four are partially sealed with duct tape for waterproofing and are lowered into the water.
Attracted to light
Lobster larvae exhibit positive phototaxis – that is, they are attracted to and move towards light. Catching them only requires using bright lights in the dead of night. This is why no lobster larva catchers are at during a full moon, since the lobster larvae will disperse and follow the moonlight on such nights.
The fishing nets are black so they are camouflaged against the reefs where the lobster larvae live. The fishermen can haul in three to four catches in a single night. While they wait to haul in their nets, they drink coffee, eat and take short naps. “Fishing for lobster larvae is just the best. You can sleep on the job,” said RA.
CA said that he had been catching lobster larvae for three years. Before that, he was a traveling salesman.
Catching lobster larvae was more attractive than catching fish. Cisolok fisherman BA said that fish were sold by the kilogram for a price that was not very high. “Lobster larvae are sold per larva, and they are expensive,” he said.
CA said that collectors had been absorbing lobster larva catches from local fishermen at a high price for the last four years. “A non-permanent teacher has switched to catching lobster larvae. On the best nights, you can take home between Rp 3 million [US$212.10) and Rp 4 million,” he explained.
The relative ease of catching lobster larvae has also attracted the local residents of Binuangeun Beach in Lebak regency, Banten. One such resident is HH, who used to be a trader. He has been a lobster larva
catcher for the past year. He can earn Rp 350,000 in one day from a catch of 50 scalloped spiny lobster larvae.
Fishermen and other residents usually catch the lobster larvae in waters 2-3 kilometers from the beach.
“The return is not bad. Every day, I have money coming in,” said HH.
No fear of getting arrested
The local people do not fear being arrested for breaking the law, because of the ease of catching lobster larvae and their high selling price.
The attacks on the Cisolok and Bayah police stations in 2017 and 2018 are evidence of local resistance against the arrests of fishermen for catching lobster larvae.
Banten maritime affairs and fisheries agency head Suyitno said that his officers were threatened when they visited Binuangeun beach on a public awareness mission to educate local lobster larva catchers.
“My staff told me that they were threated when they visited the beach,” he said.
Most fishermen that ply the waters between Cisolok and Binuangeun have switched to catching lobster larvae. They are easily identified, as their boats are equipped with light poles.
Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) benthic ecology professor Yusli Wardiatno said that the unchecked poaching of lobster larvae could lead to the extinction of the species. Without firm action, these poachers would eventually catch the last lobster in Indonesian waters.
“Big lobsters were once mere larvae. If we keep on catching [baby lobsters] without giving them the chance to grow, sooner or later the species will die out. The threat [of extinction] is real if catching [the larvae] is uncontrolled,” he said. (NIA/ADY/MDN)