Policy of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Not Yet Fully Fulfilled People’s Aspirations

Up to this day, policy of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries was not yet in favor of the society, especially shrimp farmers in Lampung. A road of 100 km length to the shrimp farms was heavily in damage making it difficult for farmers to carry shrimp feed. Other problems faced by farmers are working capital, expensive prices of shrimp feed, and difficulty to obtain ice in that region. While, in fact, construction of infrastructures in that region was already completed, but the infrastructures were not well maintained. This statement was conveyed by some members of Commission IV of Parliament in a Meeting with the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Fadel Muhammad.

There was also question regarding declining shrimp farming activities. Based on data acquire in 2006, number of fishing households (RTP) reached 1.14 millions. In 2007, the number dropped to 1.3 millions. And, data on year 2008-2009 was not yet available. Concerning farmers’ welfare, it was necessary to perform an audit on shrimp farms in Indonesia, whether private-owned or traditional ones.

Officials of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries were required to help solve the problems faced by shrimp farmers. They needed government’s support to improve their income. Subsidies from the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries were expected to support the farmers. It was expected that there will be concrete steps from the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries to improve quality of human resources and to release the shrimp farmers from poverty.

Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Fadel Muhammad, stated his shame about the living condition of the shrimp farmers who were very poor. One shrimp farmer only earns an income of Rp. 7 millions a year or Rp. 600,000 a month.

Chairman of the Meeting, Drs. H. Akhmad Muqowam, asked the Minister of Marine and Fisheries to analyze the problems faced by the farmers because they need special and concrete attention. Commission IV asked the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries to improve quality to networking with institutions outside the Ministry and with the related Ministries including the Ministry of Transport.