Ciliwung Naturalisation Task Force: Eradication of Janitor Fish in Bogor Should Not Be Merely Ceremonial
BOGOR — The Ciliwung Naturalisation Task Force assesses that the eradication of janitor fish in the Bogor City area must be carried out on a massive and sustainable scale, not merely as a ceremonial activity.
Environmental activist Suparno Jumar stated that capturing janitor fish in a purely ceremonial manner will not be effective in addressing the spread of this invasive species.
“If this is done hastily, it will get trapped in ceremonial activities that ultimately do not touch the root of the problem,” said Suparno Jumar to Kompas.com on Monday (27/9/2026).
“For example, if they need a ceremony, do not spend 100 percent of the energy on the ceremony alone. But how that energy is then distributed in the main river and its tributaries,” he continued.
According to Suparno, capturing janitor fish can be done using various methods, such as nets, fishing rods, or traps.
Traps are a traditional, environmentally friendly technique consisting of enclosures made from bamboo, rattan, or iron placed at the bottom of the water.
“If using traps, they can be left in place, but with nets, they are just thrown and then lifted. With fishing rods, this is often found by fellow anglers. So when fishing, if a janitor fish is caught, the anglers usually throw it onto the land,” he said.
He revealed that the distribution of janitor fish in Bogor City is found in several river flow points. Among them, the area between Sukaresmi Ward and Kedung Halang Ward, then between Kedung Badak Ward and Cibuluh Ward, specifically in the Delimajaya to Jambu Dua area.
Additionally, the spread is also found around Yapis Bridge, between Bantarjati and Tanah Sareal, as well as the river flow between Babakan Pasar and Baranangsiang.
“The third one further upstream is between Bantarjati and Tanah Sareal around Yapis Bridge. Then further upstream between Babakan Pasar and Baranangsiang,” he explained.
Bogor Mayor Dedie A Rachim stated that these three points are in Kedung Halang Sukaresmi, Kedung Badak, and under Yapis Bridge Bantarjati.
“Regarding the janitor fish in Bogor City, it turns out we found them at three points. The first point is in Kedung Halang Sukaresmi, then Kedung Badak, and one more under Yapis Bridge Bantarjati,” said Dedie at Bogor Botanical Gardens on Saturday (25/4/2026).
Dedie explained that the Bogor City Government will first coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry before taking eradication steps.
According to him, janitor fish is an invasive species that can disrupt the balance of aquatic ecosystems.
The presence of this fish is considered detrimental to local fish and impacts communities that depend on river resources.
“So we will try to coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Minister and Deputy Minister, so that together we can jointly strive to eradicate, capture, and control the janitor fish pest, which turns out to have destructive properties to the ecosystem,” he said.