Thousands fishermen fail to go fishing

TANGERANG: Thousands of fishermen in the northern coastal area of Tangerang regency in Banten province have been forced to attempt to find alternative incomes as strong seasonal winds continue.

HM. Noor Ali, the district head of Kosambi, where most of the fishermen live, said the winds meant the fishermen could not meet their everyday needs.

"We're very concerned with their condition," he told Antara here on Wednesday.

A number of fishermen in Dadap village said that they had to take odd jobs, such as manual laborers, until they could return to sea in February when the winds were expected to abate.

Ali said that he was trying to persuade local businessmen to help the fishermen by donating basic items. "But it is not good for them (fishermen) if we continue providing their basic necessities," he said, adding that they would also provide other forms of assistance.

"I'll ask the Puspa Indah Foundation (YPI) to provide them with soft credits that could be used as capital for businesses other than the fishing business," he said.--JP