After 5.3 Tonnes, South Jakarta City Government Targets Plecostomus Fish in Setu Babakan Twice a Week

The South Jakarta City Government will intensify the capture of plecostomus fish in Setu Babakan waters twice a week. Following the first operation that yielded 5.3 tonnes of fish, officers were deployed again to the connecting channel of Setu Babakan on Tuesday (21/4/2026). South Jakarta Mayor Muhammad Anwar stated that the capture of plecostomus fish will first be focused on the upstream area. This step is taken so that the population in the downstream area also decreases gradually. He explained that the activity will be carried out routinely every Tuesday and Friday. The South Jakarta City Government hopes that the waters can be free from plecostomus fish, thereby improving water quality and preventing disruption to other fish populations. Plecostomus fish are known to be invasive and prey on the eggs of other fish, potentially disturbing the aquatic ecosystem. In this operation, Anwar targets a capture of around five tonnes again. However, officers are asked to kill the fish first before burying them. “Because yesterday there was an objection from the MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council), it’s best to kill them first before burying,” said Anwar.