Number of parties reject the ministerial regulation that allows the export of lobster seeds

Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 07:11 am

Senior economist, Emil Salim asked President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to cancel Regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 12 of 2020 which allows 318 million lobster seeds to be exported.

In the regulation, the export of lobster seeds is carried out for three months in exports of 365 million per year for the next 3 years. Emil considered that this was detrimental to Indonesia.

According to the former Minister of Environment, allowing the export of clear lobster seeds reduces the opportunity for fishermen to develop national lobsters in order to increase the added value of their business and their income.

“It is solely for the benefit of exporters to export lobster seeds to our competitors abroad,” he said.

Previously, the Muhammadiyah Central Executive (PP Muhammadiyah) and the Bahtsul Masail Institute for the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (LBM PBNU) had also expressed rejection of the ministerial regulation.

The LBM PBNU refused to export lobster seeds and asked the government to immediately stop it. This was stated in the PBNU LBM study on August 4, 2020.

“The government must prioritize the cultivation of lobsters in the country. Exports are only applied to adult lobsters, not seeds,” quoted a letter from the LBM PBNU No. 06/2020 concerning Lobster Seed Export Policy signed by the Chairman of LBM PBNU, Nadjib Hassan.

The PP Muhammadiyah Chairman Anwar Abbas strongly opposes the government’s policy to open lobster seed exports because it will not provide benefits in the long term. He also asked the regulations issued by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries regarding the export of lobster seeds to be reviewed.

“If the government can’t regulate it, ask Mrs. Susi (former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti) to take care of it. Let her solve the problem. Don’t let this matter be taken care of by short-minded people,” Anwar sais as quoted by Tempo, Saturday, August 8.

Susi has several times criticized the government’s step regarding the export of lobster seeds because it would threaten the ecosystem. During her tenure as Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for the 2014-2019 period, she also stopped the export license for lobster seeds through the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 56 of 2016.

Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo continues to be urged by various groups to stop exporting lobster seeds. According to political observer Diah Ayu Permatasari, the export of lobster seeds is not only very damaging to empowerment but also does not benefit Indonesian fishermen at all.