TEMPO.CO, N. Sumatra - Concerns have arisen that Pora-pora fish in Toba Lake water in North Sumatra could be near to extinction, Antara reported. The endemic fish has been massively exploited without a proper measure of supervision.
"The government should brief the fishermen to only catcth certain and large-sized fish, so that pora-pora population can be conserved," said M Dani, a researcher of Indonesian Science Institute (LIPI) yesterday. Dani added that a regulation can be issued, if necessary, to determine the size of fish allowed for fishing.
Local fishermen have reported their suspicion on the arrival of new species, allegedly to be the predator of the pora-pora. They called the new species crystal fish or glass fish, because it has a transparent body. The fish is only 1 to 2 centimeter in size but the population is believed to be quite large.
"We will engage the local Agriculture and Fisheries Agency to study and draw conclusion regarding the pora-pora existence," Dani said.
Marpaung, a fisherman from Lumbanbulbul Village, said they had been catching fish in various sizes since he believed the fish population is quite large in Toba Lake so they have never worried about the fish extinction.
According to Marpaung, fishermen can catch around 20 tons of pora-pora fish in one day and sell it at Rp3,000 per Kg.
ANTARA
