Maluku BKHIT Monitors Shipment of 540 Mangrove Crabs Destined for Jakarta

Ambon (ANTARA) - The Maluku Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Agency (BKHIT) is monitoring the shipment of 540 mangrove crabs destined for Jakarta via Pattimura Airport in Ambon to ensure that the fishery commodity meets quarantine requirements and is free from pests or diseases.

The Head of BKHIT Maluku, Willy Indra Yunan, said in Ambon on Saturday that the inspection was carried out on a shipment of 540 mangrove crabs packed in nine boxes with an economic value of IDR 27 million.

“This supervision is important to ensure that the carrier media being transported is in healthy and safe condition and meets all quarantine requirements before being dispatched to its destination,” he said.

He explained that the inspection of inter-regional fishery commodities is part of the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of Quarantined Fish Diseases (HPIK) which can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and aquaculture sectors.

“In addition to maintaining the quality of commodities, supervision also aims to provide biosecurity guarantees so that the transported commodities do not become a means of spreading fish diseases to other areas,” he said.

Willy said that the inspection methods carried out by BKHIT Maluku include physical examination of commodities, examination of administrative documents, verification of quarantine requirements, and ensuring that the packaging and carrier media are suitable for shipment.

He added that all of these supervision procedures were carried out in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine which regulates the supervision of the movement of animals, fish, plants, and their derivatives between regions and countries.

In the inspection activity at the cargo area of Pattimura Airport Ambon, officers ensured that all documents and administrative requirements were in accordance with the provisions before the commodities were dispatched to Jakarta.

BKHIT Maluku will continue to strengthen routine supervision of the flow of fishery commodities as a form of support for the smooth trade of Maluku’s fisheries products while maintaining the health and quality of commodities sent to various regions in Indonesia.