ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Banyuwangi | Wed, 08/13/2008 11:05 AM | The Archipelago
High fuel prices and high tides have fishermen in Muncar in Banyuwangi, East Java, reluctant to set out to sea, leading to a shortage of fish in the market and higher prices.
The market has had a shortage of fresh fish for the past two weeks. The availability of several local fish varieties, such as lemuru, tongkol and layang, the main stocks of fishermen in Muncar, has gradually depleted in local markets, with prices skyrocketing where the fish are available.
"Fish stocks have been diminishing over the past two weeks. Many fishermen prefer not to sail out to sea," a fish trader in Muncar, Syaiful Johan, told The Jakarta Post recently.
A lack of fish is fishmongers' greatest nightmare. One fish seller at the Muncar fish market, Jumaiyah, said business was slow because of the high fish prices.
"Tongkol usually sells for Rp 6,000 (65 US cents) per kilogram but currently costs Rp 9,000 per kg. Not many people will buy fish at a price like that," she said.
Banyuwangi is 239 kilometers east of the provincial capital Surabaya. It is home to the Ketapang port, where the ferry crosses to Bali.
Fishing is a major source of income for many of those living along the coast. The Muncar fish landing facility, in Muncar district, is one of the biggest fishing harbors in East Java.
Muncar is also home to dozens of fish-processing businesses. Fish stocks are canned or processed into burgers or nuggets.
Most of the products are exported to Hong Kong and Singapore and even as far as the Netherlands. Other by-products include fish oil, which residents sell or further process.
The government's decision to increase fuel prices earlier this year has adversely impacted fishermen in Muncar. Most of the time, their catch does not cover the cost of their diesel fuel.
"Usually, proceeds from the catch are just enough to cover the cost of fuel," said fisherman Subairi, saying the high fuel price was one of the reasons fishermen were not fishing. Some are even selling their boats and moving to other activities.
"I've sold my fishing boat and now I've set up a small grocery stall," Subairi said.
Residents in Muncar who continue to earn a living by fishing are selective about when they fish. If they think the waves will be too strong, they choose to stay on land.
The Surabaya weather station of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) warned of huge waves in the Indian Ocean last week. According to the BMG, the waves in waters off West Nusa Tenggara reached 2 to 5 meters with wind velocities of up to 60 km per hour, dangerous conditions for fishermen. The BMG advised fishermen not to go to work.
Muncar fishermen apparently do not heed the BMG's advice, having their own set of guidelines.
"Usually, many fishermen refrain from fishing in the middle of the month, from the 12th to the 17th, when waves are high," said Subairi.
They prefer to use that time to repair their boats and inspect their nets on land.
"Muncar fishermen are not afraid of the high tides. ... We simply drive through them. But lately, following the increase in fuel prices, we tend to think twice because we won't profit much but still put our lives at risk," said Subairi, adding they used to venture into the waters off West Nusa Tenggara, and even as far as the Indian Ocean, bordering Australia.
Another strategy to offset the fuel price rise is selecting only fish varieties with a high market value, such as shark, which has a relatively stable price.
Fish trader Syaiful said the price of a shark with its fins intact was around Rp 20,000 per kilogram, if it was around 1.5 meters long, with 30 to 40 centimeters of fins and a weight of around 100 kg.
"Fishermen usually sell their shark catch even though there's not much of it," Syaiful said.
Shark fins can fetch a high price on the market. Fins from a black or white shark, for instance, can fetch Rp 1.2 million per kg.
"However, there are not many of them because fishermen seldom set out to sea nowadays," said Syaiful.
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