Waste deluge shuts shrimp ponds

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of shrimp farmers in Muara Gembong district in Bekasi have temporarily closed their business due to waste infiltration in their ponds in the past six months.

"The pitch-black waste which has killed our shrimp and bandeng (freshwater milkfish) is believed to have drifted from the water around Tanjung Priok Port (North Jakarta)," Badrawi, one of the farmers, said yesterday.

He added that the waste, which had not been identified as organic or industrial in origin, was difficult to clean up.

Many of the farmers are no longer able to continue their longtime business and have resorted to jobs as casual workers at factories and nearby Kali Baru seaport in Cilincing, Antara news agency reported.

The grim decision was taken in an attempt to survive the crisis, where job vacancies are limited and prices of most goods and services have soared, Badrawi said.

Representing his fellow farmers, Badrawi blamed the local authorities, particularly the Bekasi Fishery Agency, for not helping the shrimp-pond farmers deal with the waste problem.

"So far, the agency has never helped us in looking for high quality spawn. The spawn we had was easily contaminated with waste," he said.