Abandoning the sea for freshwater fish

“I no longer think about going to sea,” said Abbas, a resident of Karas Island, Riau Islands, a few months ago. On this small island, where most residents rely on fishing for their livelihoods, Abbas’s statement sounds unusual. Abbas used to go to sea, but he abandoned the profession about two years ago. “Going to sea requires travelling long distances, with high costs and significant risks,” he explained. The uncertainty of catches prompted him to change professions. Instead of sea fish, he now targets freshwater fish raised in tarpaulin ponds. Karas Island is located in the Galang District, Batam, and can be reached in 30 minutes by traditional boat from the Tanjung Banun pier at the northern tip of Rempang Island. Further travel by land through unpaved roads and forested areas is required to reach the freshwater fish cultivation site owned by the Anak Karas Kecil Fish Farmers Group, headed by Abbas. In a single harvest, the Anak Karas Kecil group averages around 200 kilograms of catfish from 22 traditional tarpaulin ponds. However, if pond conditions are favourable and there are no diseases, they can produce between 300 to 500 kilograms. Their produce is then sold to collectors in Sembulang. With the selling price of catfish reaching Rp24,000 per kilogram, Abbas and his colleagues can earn up to Rp12 million per harvest. After setting aside a portion for feed and operational costs, the remaining income is used to meet family needs. “God willing, it is sufficient,” said Abbas, who is of Malay descent.