Flood devastates Indonesian aquaculture

Flooding that happened in some parts of Indonesia caused the aquaculture sector to loose around 17 Million USD. The loss included was damage to fish/shrimp ponds construction and also fish that was carried by the flood.

According the the Data Center of the Indonesia Marine and Fisheries Department, the damage was recapitulated from 4 province.

Soen'an, the head of the Data Center told that the department will propose to create a social fund to help farmers especially to replace their fish.

The most devastated area was the Central Java Province where the loss was around 10 millon USD, from the damage of ponds, cage culture and shrimp ponds.

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Indonesia Halts Vannamei Shrimp Import

At least until June 2008, the import of Vannamei shrimp to Indonesia is forbidden. although the import rules was expired last December, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Affairs, Indonesia, decided to extend the period until June 2008.

The reason for the import rules is because Indonesia lacks behind in technology concerning disease detection and also traceability of the products. This issue is also related to the biosecurity conditions of the Indonesian aquaculture.

The government of Indonesia stands defensively because Indonesia government wants to protect the shrimp aquaculture industry from exotic diseases. In 2003, Indonesia have done the same thing by halting Vannamei import because of the same reason.

Indonesia until now haven't decided yet whether they will unleash the imported shrimp to Indonesia because even the United States couldn't even guarantee whether all imported products to USA is traceable. USA itself is the super power country and leads in the anti terrorism and of course tools to check traceability is available. If the technology is present, Indonesia is bound to open the Vannamei import.

Shrimp that are already imported have to be re-exported or immediately destroyed.

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The Comeback of Penaeus Monodon in Indonesia

The development of P. vannamei in Indonesia has lead to an unprospective future. Vannamei is no longer resistant to diseases and ideas of going back with monodon is raising. Monodon itself is a local species and still has its prospect to reign again the shrimp production in Indonesia.

In the eighties till the beginning of the nineties, Indonesia led in the production of shrimp especially the monodon species, but due to bad management in practices the quality of pond and also the shrimp declined very fast.

Still the is hope for Indonesia shrimp, but some people said its to late because already other Asian countries such as India, Vietnam, Thailand had developed it very seriously for a great comeback.

Monodon is an original species from Indonesia so why not it isn't developed like vannamei?

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EU create higher standard for Indonesian aquaculture and fisheries export products

Indonesian government must reassure higher standards for aquaculture and fisheries product with an export destination to Europe.

27 countries in Europe makes the exporting condition even harder by creating new rules for importing fisheries product to their country. Martani Huseini, the Directorate General for Fish Marketing and Processing in Indonesia said that EU wants a certification of the fisheries and aquaculture products, on the other hand Indonesia does not see to be ready because of limited fish processing facility.

The chemical contents of the fish and other requirements such as traceability conditions (source of fish juvenile, feed used, freshness, water quality) is required. The direct impact is a lot of exporters could not fulfill these requirements. From 200 exporters, only 113 exporters are have the ability to export the product.

The export volume of Indonesia fisheries and aquaculture products has reached 857 782 tonnes with an amount of 1,91 billion USD. Export to EU is around 20% of that amount. Although this condition exists, EU still remain a promising market for the future of Indonesian aquaculture and fisheries.

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