Reclamation makes fishermen scavengers

Multa Fidrus Tangerang

The ongoing coastal reclamation at Dadap fishing village, Kosambi, here, has forced hundreds of fishermen to turn away from their profession and become scavengers.

"Over the past two years, we had to become scavengers to survive," Syawaludin, a member of the Association of Minabahari Fishermen, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Two developers started to reclaim the coastline in 2000 without legal permission from the regental administration.

PT Koperasi Pasir Putih plans to build a five-hectare recreational and tourist resort, while PT Parung Harapan will build a luxurious housing estate and warehouse complex on another five hectares of land.

Syawaludin said that locals were told that the resort would be like Taman Impian Jaya Ancol in North Jakarta.

"Thus, none of us protested the project at that time. PT Koperasi Pasir Putih also promised to build a special port for fishermen," he said.

While waiting for the promised port, the fishermen began to realize that they were losing earnings as the reclamation activities had far exceeded the coastline.

"Fishermen used to easily catch fish within 100 meters or 200 meters from the beach. Now, we must work longer hours, and that is costly," he said.

The projects have also destroyed mangrove forest, coral reefs and marine life.

Asman, said that he and his fellow fishermen had repeatedly demanded that the company build the port, but PT Koperasi Pasir Putih's field supervisor told them to go to his boss in Jakarta for an answer.

"We are tired of waiting for the port. We left the matter in God's hands. We want the regental administration to find a way out of the problems that we are facing. We can no longer go out to sea -- please, help us find good jobs," he begged.

He said their income from scavenging bottles, plastic and other recyclables was lower than what they earned as fishermen.

Didin Syamsudin, head of spatial layout at the Tangerang Spatial Layout and Building Agency, said the development of Dadap beach was unlawful.

Regent Ismet Iskandar had even ordered his subordinates to halt the reclamation activities.

"We have halted the reclamation projects because the companies don't have permits. They have not even filed an application with the environmental agency for environmental impact analyses," he said on Wednesday.