Bad Weather Grounds Fishermen, Fish Prices Soar

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Most of the fishermen in Natuna, Riau Archipelago Province changed their occupation to become construction workers and casual workers because of bad weather.

"Currently most of them become construction workers, casual workers and so on, some chose to continue fishing, but only along the coastline," said Rahmat, Chief Fishermen of the Batu Gajah Village in Natuna on Friday, December 30, 2022.

The Chief Fishermen predicted that local fishermen will resume their normal activities on February 2023 because by then the extreme weather would have ceased.

"For the next three months, we are off [not going to sea] like we normally would as far as the Exclusive Economic Zone," Rahmat said.

Rahmat also said that with the low number of fishermen, fish prices in the local market increases.

"Usually, mackerel tuna are sold at 15 to 20 thousand Rupiah per kilogram, now, nobody is selling them in kilograms, they sell it in pieces, in comparison, normally one fish cost 30 thousand, now its 70 ton80 thousand Rupiah for one fish," Rahmat explains.

In addition to high prices, Rahmat said that fish stocks are limited and only certain types of fish are available.

"Small tuna, Skipjacks, are in low amount, because fishermen can only fish on the coast, they leave in the morning and return in the afternoon, the cannot fish for too long," Rahmat said.

ANTARA

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