Industrial waste kills shrimp farming<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post\/Tangerang<\/p>\n
Hundreds of shrimp farmers who manage some 2,000 hectares of
\nshrimp ponds along the northern coast of Tangerang regency
\ncomplained of industrial waste in Cisadane River destroyed their
\nshrimp farms.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know how and when to resume business since we depend
\non the river estuary to do the farming,\" Sarta, 45, one of the
\nshrimp farmers in Tanjung Pasir village, Teluk Naga district of
\nTangerang regency told The Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
The farmers had stopped business last year after losing lots
\nof shrimp prior to the harvest season for the last two
\nconsecutive years.<\/p>\n
\"I suffered Rp 18 million (US$1,956) in losses in 2002 and
\nanother Rp 8 million last year. We decided not to continue shrimp
\nbreeding and changed to mujair (fresh water fish) and bandeng
\n(milkfish) breeding, which is easier but doesn't sell as well as
\nshrimp,\" Sarta added.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Fuad, 40, a shrimp farmer in Sukawali village,
\nPakuhaji district, said that he had also suffered more than Rp 10
\nmillion in losses over the past two years due to the deadly waste
\nthat polluted his seven hectares of farming.<\/p>\n
But now the farmers have another fear -- a higher level of sea
\npollution that could also destroy their bandeng farming.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, I always monitor media reports on waste ... If the
\nwaste level is high we will harvest the fish before they are
\nkilled so we will not suffer too much in losses,\" Fuad said.<\/p>\n
Sarmili, 56, of Marga Mulya village, Mauk district, added that
\na more serious problem being faced by shrimp farmers was the
\ncontinuous beach erosion that had claimed 70 hectares of ponds in
\nhis village.<\/p>\n
\"Soon, other ponds will be gone as well,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Head of Tangerang's Fishery and Maritime Agency, Yodhie
\nRossadi, confirmed that the high level of pollution had forced
\nthe shrimp farmers to change to other businesses.<\/p>\n
He also revealed that at least 52 erosion points along the 51-
\nkilometer northern coast was caused by illegal sand mining
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\"It is already difficult for us to cope with the beach
\nerosion. It's the local residents themselves who mine the sand --
\nit's their only source of living,\" he told the Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/industrial-waste-kills-shrimp-farming-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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