Government Forms Task Force to Target Major Lobster Seed Smugglers

The government has established the Task Force for Combating the Illegal Export of Clear Lobster Seed (Satgas P2BBL) to dismantle networks smuggling lobster seed overseas. Enforcement will target not only offenders on the ground but also financiers and those controlling the illegal networks.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman stressed that efforts to combat the smuggling of clear lobster seed (BBL) must be comprehensive, covering its sources, collectors, holding facilities, distribution routes and points of exit from Indonesia.

“Action must not stop at couriers or transporters. The task force must follow the network and follow the money to uncover the networks, financial flows, financiers and controllers,” Dudung said at the launch of the task force at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry auditorium in Jakarta on Monday (12 October 2026).

The task force was established under Presidential Regulation No. 69 of 2026. Dudung will serve as its steering committee chairman, while Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono will head its implementation.

Dudung said the task force was set up to coordinate the efforts of ministries and agencies to prevent and combat the smuggling of BBL by organised networks operating in Indonesia and abroad.

Indonesia is estimated to have the potential to produce 465.8 million lobster seed a year. However, that potential has not been used optimally to develop lobster farming at home and generate greater value for the national economy.

“BBL smuggling is not merely a matter of illegally exporting a commodity. It means losing national economic potential, disrupting the development of domestic farming and reducing the benefits from fisheries resources that should be enjoyed by the Indonesian people,” he said.

He stressed that the task force’s success should not be measured solely by the number of lobster seed seized. The government must also break up smuggling networks and identify those profiting from the activity.

“The task force’s success is not simply about how many lobster seed we manage to save, but how far we can dismantle smuggling networks and protect Indonesia’s fisheries wealth,” he said.

Trenggono said BBL smuggling was a longstanding problem that remained unresolved, despite the government’s efforts to build cooperation with neighbouring countries.

According to Trenggono, strong demand for lobster seed in Vietnam was one factor driving continued smuggling. He said the price paid to Indonesian fishers was around Rp8,500 per seed, while in Vietnam it could reach Rp35,000 to Rp50,000.

The government therefore hopes the task force will strengthen law enforcement and encourage bilateral cooperation to stop the illegal trade.

“If we lose our sovereignty, that means we have failed to protect it. This is one example,” Trenggono said at the same event.

In addition to enforcement, Dudung called on the task force to strengthen prevention and improve the governance of BBL, ensuring fishers and coastal communities can continue to pursue lawful economic activities.

He also emphasised the importance of public outreach, so that efforts to combat smuggling go hand in hand with the development of lobster farming in Indonesia.

Dudung said the task force’s work would be reviewed monthly to monitor progress, identify obstacles and ensure effective coordination between ministries and agencies.