Indonesian Fishermen on High Alert, Minister Trenggono Warns of Looming Series of Problems
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MenKP) Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has issued a serious warning regarding the national fisheries sector amid pressures from global geopolitical dynamics and the threat of extreme climate phenomenon El Nino. This was conveyed during a working meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR RI).
Trenggono emphasised that the current global situation directly impacts the operations of the fisheries sector, particularly in terms of production costs and distribution.
“As we know, global geopolitical dynamics—which I believe everyone is aware of—have a significant impact on the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) as well. One of them is the use of fuel oil (BBM) for fishermen, who still rely 100% on BBM to this day,” said Trenggono during the working meeting with Commission IV of the DPR RI at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/4/2026).
He noted that pressures are also affecting the supply chain, which in turn impacts export performance and the competitiveness of Indonesian fishery products in the global market.
“Furthermore, prices due to distribution are still influenced, so the supply chain for fishery products could potentially lead to a decline in export volumes and reduced competitiveness of Indonesian fishery products in the global market,” he explained.
In addition to geopolitical factors, climate threats are a primary concern. Based on studies by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia is projected to face the extreme ‘Godzilla’ El Nino phenomenon, marked by extreme climate anomalies from April to October 2026.
“Based on BRIN’s study, Indonesia is expected to face the Godzilla El Nino phenomenon, characterised by extreme climate anomalies during the period of April to October 2026,” he stated.
According to him, this situation presents both significant risks and opportunities that must be managed carefully. From the risk perspective, Trenggono warned of potential serious pressures on coastal and marine ecosystems.
“From a risk perspective, this phenomenon has the potential to trigger serious pressures in land, coastal, and ocean areas, including increased vulnerability to ecosystem damage in coastal and marine regions,” he revealed.
He also highlighted subsequent impacts, such as changes in water environmental quality that could disrupt production.
“High evaporation rates can cause spikes in salinity, which implies increased risks of disease outbreaks in aquaculture commodities, and could accelerate the degradation of blue carbon ecosystems, ultimately leading to significant increases in carbon emissions,” Trenggono continued.
Nevertheless, the El Nino phenomenon could also offer opportunities for a marine productivity boom, such as increased fish stocks due to higher nutrient levels in the sea, and boosted salt production from prolonged dry periods.
Indonesia’s Fisheries Sector Performance Remains Stable
On the other hand, Trenggono assured that the performance of the national fisheries sector remains stable despite various challenges, from geopolitics to climate anomaly threats. He stated that production and exports have continued to show positive trends in recent years.
“Amid various challenges faced, the performance of the national marine and fisheries sector has so far maintained good production and export achievements. Among them, Indonesia’s marine and fisheries production has consistently increased with an average growth of around 3.8% in 2025,” Trenggono revealed.
He detailed that total national fisheries production reached its highest figure of 26.25 million tonnes, comprising 11.65 million tonnes of seaweed production, 7.85 million tonnes of capture fisheries, and 6.75 million tonnes of aquaculture.
From the export side, the value of fishery products also recorded positive performance, although it began to slow in early 2026.
“The value of Indonesian fishery product exports also increased, reaching US$6.27 billion in 2025, marking the highest achievement in the last five years. However, up to February 2026, export value was recorded at US$960 million, showing a year-on-year slowdown compared to the same period in the previous year,” he explained.
“Hopefully, this will soon improve now that we’ve sorted out our issues with America,” he added.
Looking ahead, Trenggono stated that the KKP projects production to remain stable despite ongoing global and climate pressures.
“The national fish production prognosis for the period April to December 2026 projects a total national fish production of 10.57 million tonnes. This figure consists of contributions from capture fisheries production of 5.42 million tonnes and aquaculture production of 5.15 million tonnes,” said Trenggono.
He also assured that fish availability for public needs remains safe in the short term.
“Based on monitoring results, we can report that the status of fish availability is in the safe category until June 2026,” he said.
In closing his remarks, Trenggono emphasised the importance of cross-sector synergy to maintain food security from the fisheries sector.
“Efforts to strengthen national food security in the marine and fisheries sector certainly require our collective support and synergy. For this reason, we greatly appreciate input and support from Commission IV of the DPR RI so that efforts to strengthen food security in the marine and fisheries sector can run optimally and be fulfilled effectively,” he concluded.