Diesel price hike leaves fishermen high and dry
Diesel price hike leaves fishermen high and dry
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
Traditional fisherman Mahyudin takes the news of fuel price
increase without even blinking. The 37-year-old, who depends on
diesel fuel to run his fishing boat, has faced fluctuating prices
before.
In August last year when the "official" government-set price
of diesel fuel stood at Rp 1,650 (about 18 U.S. cents) a liter,
shortages meant Mahyudin and other fishermen were paying Rp 3,000
a liter to retailers.
So when the price was again increased to Rp 2,100 per liter,
the fishermen were not surprised. Always paying more than the
official price, this time around Mahyudin buys it for Rp 3,200 a
liter.
Supplies remain a problem. "People say that's the reason the
price has become very expensive and forced many fishermen to stop
going out to the sea," he said.
Many of Mahyudin's neighbors in Sukaraja, Bandarlampung, have
left their boats idle during the past six months because fuel is
too costly.
Herza, executive director of Mitra Bentala, a non-governmental
organization working with fishermen in isolated islands, said
about 3,000 fishers from Lampung Bay in Bandarlampung, Kotaagung
in Tanggamus, and Labuhan Maringgai in East Lampung had abandoned
their boats since fuel prices began to rise in July last year.
He blamed the fuel scarcity in Lampung on stockpiling by
retailers and other fishermen.
Lampung Fishermen's Union (SNL) secretary-general, Joko
Purwanto, said many fishermen were forced to switch jobs,
becoming laborers and pedicab drivers in Bandarlampung and moving
as far away as Tangerang or Jakarta.
He said that fuel price hikes were usually followed by fuel
shortages due to large-scale purchases by industry.
The shortage would affect around 5,000 fishing families in the
area.
Muhammad Yamin, 30, a former fisherman from Panjang, said he
was forced to become a pedicab driver because the fishing boat
where he worked stopped operating.
"They say there is a shortage of diesel fuel, so my friends
and I have to turns to pedicab to make a living. The earnings are
small, but enough to get by on day by day," Muhammad said.
He said many other fishermen shared his fate. Those who
continued to go out to sea had stockpiled their own fuel he said.
Yamin said that even if they could afford to buy diesel fuel,
the price would reach Rp 3,000 per liter now.
"A single fishing trip can use up to Rp 75,000 worth of diesel
in a trip, not to mention the costs for meals and other expenses.
We'll still be short of income because a single trip can only
bring in around Rp 75,000," he said.
Sutopo, a Karangjaya resident in Bandarlampung, who owns two
fishing boats said that he and other traditional fishermen now
fished in area near Sebuku island -- 10 hours from Panjang beach.
They fished so far out because there were not much fish left
in nearer coastal areas. The larger commercial trawlers were
making life difficult for traditional fishermen, he said.
"Previously, we could easily catch 30 to 40 kg of fish around
Panjang beach and earn a net profit of Rp 100,000 a day. But now,
even after spending more, I earn less than Rp 25,000."