DKI Continues to Eradicate Plecostomus: 10 Ton Captured, Vendors Educated

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government continues to intensify the capture of plecostomus fish. A total of 10 tonnes of plecostomus fish have been eradicated in Jakarta.

Compiled by detikcom on Saturday (25/4/2026), the Jakarta Food Security, Maritime Affairs, and Agriculture Office (KPKP) revealed that a total of 10.189 tonnes of plecostomus fish have been captured. This amount is an accumulation from the five cities in the Jakarta Province.

“Up to now, the total accumulated plecostomus fish successfully captured from all waterways in DKI Jakarta reaches 10.189 tonnes,” said the Head of the DKI Jakarta KPKP Office, Hasudungan Sidabalok, when contacted on Thursday (23/4).

This amount results from the simultaneous capture on 17 April. Additionally, the East Jakarta City Government conducted another capture on 20 April, and the South Jakarta City Government on 21 April.

Hasudungan stated that the KPKP Office has prepared a safe standard operating procedure for handling plecostomus fish to avoid environmental contamination. The captured results, he said, will be ensured dead before being buried.

“For destruction, the plecostomus fish must be ensured dead by splitting or breaking their spines, then placed into tightly sealed sacks to be transported and buried at the designated location,” he explained.

Five Men Secured for Taking Plecostomus Fish Meat

Five men were secured while taking plecostomus fish meat from the captures along the banks of the Ciliwung River child canal in the Pasar Baru area, Central Jakarta. They intended to process the plecostomus fish meat into siomay.

The Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) prevented the processing of the plecostomus fish meat by destroying it. The Satpol PP also warned the five men not to sell plecostomus fish meat again due to the potential content of harmful substances dangerous to human health who consume it.

“All of it we destroyed by burying. We also asked them not to sell plecostomus fish meat to be made into siomay for sale,” said the Head of Satpol PP for Sawah Besar, Darwis Silitonga, as reported by Antara on Saturday (25/4).

They were secured after the Satpol PP received a report from residents regarding the suspicious activity. The five men were sifting through the captured plecostomus fish to take the meat and eggs.

“We secured them after receiving a report from residents who were suspicious of their activities,” he said.

All their captured results were immediately seized by the Satpol PP officers for destruction. Previously, they were said to have disposed of the plecostomus fish skins carelessly after taking the meat and eggs.

After taking the meat and eggs, they discarded the plecostomus fish skins. To the officers, the five secured residents admitted that the plecostomus fish meat was sold to collectors in Cikarang for siomay ingredients.

“We secured five men who were working and selling plecostomus fish meat,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the plecostomus fish eggs were utilised by them to make fishing bait.