Jaksel City Government and Seskoal Students Capture 547 kg of Plecostomus Fish

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Selatan Administrative City Government (Pemkot Jaksel), together with students from the Navy Staff and Command School (Seskoal), captured 547 kilograms (kg) of plecostomus fish in the Betawi Cultural Village of Setu Babakan, Srengseng Sawah Ward, Jagakarsa Subdistrict. “So, this place (Setu Babakan Lake) is the upstream area of Jakarta city. When we clean it, God willing, the downstream will also be clean,” said Jakarta Selatan Mayor Muhammad Anwar at Setu Babakan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. He stated that two weeks ago, his side had conducted a cleanup and destruction of plecostomus fish amounting to approximately 5.3 tons in Setu Babakan and across the entire Jakarta Selatan City, with a total yield of approximately 11 tons. According to him, plecostomus fish have no benefits because they eat the eggs of local fish, thereby causing an imbalance in the ecosystem. Moreover, Setu Babakan as a Betawi cultural conservation area has a strategic function, one of which is as a water absorption area and flood controller. Therefore, it is important to control the presence of plecostomus fish seriously and sustainably in that area. “Maintaining the balance of the ecosystem in this area is our collective responsibility. I give my appreciation to Seskoal for joining us here,” Anwar said. “Why here? Because this place is one of the icons in South Jakarta, it is also a cultural conservation area that must be preserved, and it is an ecosystem that we must protect,” stated Arianto. In addition to eradicating plecostomus fish, the activity also involved the release of 10,000 fingerlings of tawes and nilem fish into Setu Babakan Lake, and the distribution of basic food packages to 100 individual service providers (PJLP) in the Setu Babakan area. The event was attended by Jakarta Selatan Mayor Muhammad Anwar, Deputy Mayor Ali Murthadho, Chair of the PKK of Jakarta Selatan City Diah Anwar, Seskoal Commander Rear Admiral TNI Arianto Condrowibowo, and Deputy Seskoal Commander First Admiral TNI Ferry Supriady.