Jakarta East City Government Captures 320 kg of Plecostomus in Kaja Reservoir

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta East City Government (Pemkot Jaktim) has once again conducted a capture operation, seizing 320 kilograms (kg) of plecostomus fish in the Kaja Reservoir, Jalan Raya Ciracas, RT 001/RW 11, Ciracas, Jakarta East. “Up to now, around 320 kilograms of plecostomus have been caught. The process is still ongoing while waiting for the water to recede further so that the capture can be more maximal,” said Jakarta East Mayor Munjirin during the plecostomus capture activity at the Kaja Reservoir, Ciracas, Jakarta East, on Friday. In the capture process, officials gradually lowered the reservoir’s water volume to facilitate the extraction of plecostomus, known as an invasive species. Although the water has not fully receded to the bottom, the catch has already been quite significant. Munjirin stated that any fish other than plecostomus that are caught will be released back into the reservoir to maintain ecosystem balance, as plecostomus can damage the aquatic environment and disrupt local fish populations. Regarding disposal, he mentioned that the captured plecostomus will be collected, weighed, euthanised, and then buried. This method is a recommendation from the Food Security, Maritime, and Agriculture Agency (DKP&KP) as a safe and effective handling step. He also urged the public to participate in controlling plecostomus in their respective areas. Community involvement, he said, is very important in preserving aquatic environments. “We invite the public who want to help with the plecostomus capture process to do so in their own areas,” Munjirin stated. Through this activity, he hopes that the ecosystem conditions of reservoirs in Jakarta East will be increasingly maintained, while also raising public awareness of the importance of preserving environmental balance. In addition to the plecostomus capture, the Jakarta East City Government also held the routine “Friday Planting” activity at the location. Munjirin revealed that the Kaja Reservoir is one of the water resource infrastructures newly built by the Jakarta East Water Resources Sub-Department and is now available for use by the surrounding community. In addition to functioning as flood control, the reservoir is also expected to become a healthy and sustainable ecological space.