Industrial waste kills shrimp farming

Industrial waste kills shrimp farming

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post/Tangerang

Hundreds of shrimp farmers who manage some 2,000 hectares of
shrimp ponds along the northern coast of Tangerang regency
complained of industrial waste in Cisadane River destroyed their
shrimp farms.

"We don't know how and when to resume business since we depend
on the river estuary to do the farming," Sarta, 45, one of the
shrimp farmers in Tanjung Pasir village, Teluk Naga district of
Tangerang regency told The Jakarta Post recently.

The farmers had stopped business last year after losing lots
of shrimp prior to the harvest season for the last two
consecutive years.

"I suffered Rp 18 million (US$1,956) in losses in 2002 and
another Rp 8 million last year. We decided not to continue shrimp
breeding and changed to mujair (fresh water fish) and bandeng
(milkfish) breeding, which is easier but doesn't sell as well as
shrimp," Sarta added.

Similarly, Fuad, 40, a shrimp farmer in Sukawali village,
Pakuhaji district, said that he had also suffered more than Rp 10
million in losses over the past two years due to the deadly waste
that polluted his seven hectares of farming.

But now the farmers have another fear -- a higher level of sea
pollution that could also destroy their bandeng farming.

"Therefore, I always monitor media reports on waste ... If the
waste level is high we will harvest the fish before they are
killed so we will not suffer too much in losses," Fuad said.

Sarmili, 56, of Marga Mulya village, Mauk district, added that
a more serious problem being faced by shrimp farmers was the
continuous beach erosion that had claimed 70 hectares of ponds in
his village.

"Soon, other ponds will be gone as well," he said.

Head of Tangerang's Fishery and Maritime Agency, Yodhie
Rossadi, confirmed that the high level of pollution had forced
the shrimp farmers to change to other businesses.

He also revealed that at least 52 erosion points along the 51-
kilometer northern coast was caused by illegal sand mining
activities.

"It is already difficult for us to cope with the beach
erosion. It's the local residents themselves who mine the sand --
it's their only source of living," he told the Post.