TRAWL FISHERMEN TO GET DEBT RESTRUCTURING

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 13 (Antara) - The government is encouraging trawl fishermen to switch to using environment-friendly fishing gears in an effort to promote sustainable exploitation of fish resources.          As part of its efforts to encourage fishermen to switch to using environment-friendly fishing gears, the government promises to facilitate those having bad credits to get debt restructuring from banks.          The use of trawlers enables fishermen to catch more fish but they significantly damage the environment since they not only trap consumable fish but also the small fish, young crabs, and coral reefs.          In the long run, the use of trawls will lead to the extinction of fish and other marine biota, which will in turn pose difficulties to the fishermen to catch fish as their main source of income.          Trawls could net several types of fish of varying sizes, thereby running counter to the principle of sustainability and the Indonesian fishery policy.          To safeguard and preserve marine resources, the government has issued a regulation through Maritime and Fisheries (KKP) Minister's decree Number 1/PERMEN-KP/2015 which bans the use of trawlers in fishing.

FISHERMEN ALLOWED TO USE TRAWLS AGAIN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 19 (Antara) - The government announced on Thursday that fishermen can use trawls for fishing again after it had banned the use of the gear through Maritime and Fisheries (KKP) Minister's Regulation Number 1/PERMEN-KP/2015.         Fishermen can thus use trawls until the process to switch over to the use of other environment-friendly fishing gear is completed.   "Fishermen can go fishing with trawlers during the transition period. However, there are certain conditions," KKP Minister Susi Pudjiastuti had stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.          Earlier on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had remarked at a meeting with fishermen protesting in front of the Merdeka Palace that the government will give them additional time to stop using trawlers.          "The conclusion is that we give them more time to change their fishing nets from trawls to other tools, without any deadline. However, please do not add more trawlers," the president noted.

GOVERNMENT EXTENDS USE OF TRAWLS FOR FISHERMEN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 4 (Antara) - After imposing a ban on the use of trawls, the government announced on Wednesday that it will allow fishermen in Central Java to again use them to catch fish until the end of this year.          Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti stated that the government had finally decided to allow fishermen to use trawls, or cantrang, as a fishing tool until the end of 2017.          The minister made the remarks after meeting President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.          Since the imposition of the ban on the use of trawls in January, fishermen have been complaining of a drop in income and their boats remaining idle. The policy posed difficulties to the fishermen to catch fish.          "The National Awakening Party (PKB) and I really wanted to fight for the fate of fishermen since most members of the PKB are fishermen. They have lodged complaints and voiced their dissent against the policies of the maritime affairs and fisheries (KKP) minister. The policies run counter to their efforts to improve their welfare and prosperity," PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar remarked during a dialog with fishermen at his office in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 2).