Susi Pudjiastuti Slams Edhy's Remark Comparing Lobster to Nickel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former minister of maritime affairs and fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti responded to her successor Edhy Prabowo’s statement comparing exports of lobster seeds to nickel ores.

“Nickel is a non-renewable natural resource which means it can run out, while lobster is a renewable natural resource that can exist continuously and in abundant volume if we preserve it!!!!,” said Susi through her Twitter account @susipudjiastuti on Tuesday, December 17.

Susi opposed the catching of lobster seeds and demanded the preservation ecosystem for a sustainable habitat so that Indonesians could still benefit from the marine biota all the time.

“An instant, extractive, and massive fishing of this renewable natural resource must be banned, moreover, catching its germplasm. It’s A NO NO!!,” Susi asserted.

She reiterated that even though lobster is categorized as a renewable natural resource, a commitment to preserve its habitat is necessary.

According to Susi, the effect of human greed had been already felt in Pangandaran, Banten. In 2020, lobsters weighing over 100 grams per head could reach 5 tons a day. Now, farmers are facing difficulties in catching 100 kilograms daily.

Earlier, maritime affairs and fisheries minister Edhy Prabowo announced that he planned to allow export of lobster seeds in quota as had been applied for other commodities such as nickel ores while waiting for the availability of facilities to breed it. Back when Susi Pudjiastuti was serving as a minister, the export of lobster seeds was prohibited.

EKO WAHYUDI l CAESAR AKBAR