South Jakarta Studies Using Plecostomus Fish Catch for Livestock Feed and Fertiliser

The South Jakarta Administrative City Government (Pemkot Jaksel) is studying the utilisation of plecostomus fish catches for livestock feed and organic fertiliser to ensure their ongoing benefits. “This will be considered by the Department of Food Security, Maritime Affairs, and Agriculture (Dinas KPKP), which is currently reviewing it. I asked if it could be used for livestock feed? It would be a shame otherwise; if possible, it would be great for animal feed, which would be quite beneficial,” said South Jakarta Mayor Muhammad Anwar during the City and Journalists Discussion (Berkawan) event in Jakarta on Wednesday. Anwar believes that using plecostomus fish catches as livestock feed can reduce potential waste. Moreover, in the capture process, they follow MUI recommendations by stunning the fish by hitting their heads until dead, then burying them. He also mentioned that the achievement of 5.3 tonnes of plecostomus fish on the first day of capture in Setu Babakan, South Jakarta, serves as an indicator of maximum performance from all relevant parties. Therefore, the South Jakarta Administrative City Government is committed to scheduling the capture of this pest fish twice a week. “Of course, this capture activity will be carried out routinely every Friday and Tuesday until there are truly no more fish,” he said. Meanwhile, Head of the Fisheries Section of the South Jakarta Food Security, Maritime, and Agriculture Agency (Sudin KPKP), Arief Prakoso, added that the fish catches will later be handed over to the South Jakarta Environmental Agency. It is planned that the plecostomus fish catches will be processed into organic fertiliser or livestock feed. “We also sent samples yesterday for testing at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) as an alternative feed,” said Arief. Previously, former Indonesian Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti suggested to DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung on destroying captured plecostomus fish after the burial method was highlighted by MUI. Susi proposed that captured plecostomus fish could be used as fish or livestock feed up to fertiliser.