Massive Lobster Seed Smuggling Prompts DPR to Form New Oversight Panel
The Golkar Party faction of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has officially appointed its member, Eko Wahyudi, to a strategic position within a new Working Committee (Panja) in Commission IV. The legislator, identified by number A-33lar, was dispatched alongside two other Golkar colleagues, Firman Soebagyo and Dadang M. Naser, to oversee the formulation and supervision of national maritime regulations.
This new working committee formed by Commission IV is specifically focused on managing the supervision of Lobster Seed (BBL), or ‘benur’, across all Indonesian waters and maritime regions. The establishment of this specialised body is considered crucial amidst the chaotic governance and the widespread leakage of this high-value commodity into international markets.
Price disparities serve as the primary stimulus for this illegal sector. While the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries sets the minimum reference price for lobster seeds at the fisherman level at approximately Rp8,500 per individual, the commodity can skyrocket to between Rp100,000 and Rp200,000 per individual on the international black market.
“Due to the weakness of current supervisory regulations, the state is estimated to suffer losses of up to trillions of rupiah due to continuous illegal export leakages,” he stated, as quoted from a press release received on Tuesday (23/6).
Responding to this significant challenge, Commission IV, along with the newly formed working committee, expressed readiness and optimism to execute supervisory duties to the maximum extent.
According to gathered information, Commission IV of the DPR RI is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting today (24/6) to officially establish the full membership of the Lobster Seed Supervision Working Committee. With this appointment, the newly formed committee is targeted to begin working effectively to conduct strict supervision at Indonesia’s maritime gateways.
Recent enforcement actions include the Jambi Regional Police thwarting the smuggling of 47,872 lobster seeds valued at Rp7.1 billion, where perpetrators used five fake license plates to deceive inter-provincial officers. Additionally, Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) personnel, as part of a Joint Task Force alongside PT ASDP Merak, intercepted 73,033 lobster seeds in Merak. Furthermore, the Jambi Regional Police prevented an attempt to smuggle tens of thousands of baby lobsters along the Central Sumatra Highway in the Rimbo Tengah District, Bungo Regency.