Indonesia’s minister of maritime affairs and fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti, is undoubtedly one of the country’s most popular (and meme-orable) government officials, but one group that has strongly opposed her decisions are Indonesian fishermen who say that her ministry’s ban on cantrang (a kind of dragnet used in trawl fishing) has been destroying their livelihoods.
Yesterday, hundreds of fishermen representing the Indonesian Fishermen Alliance (ANNI) staged a protest in front of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta over the ban, which was enacted in 2015 due to evidence that cantrang fishing was unsustainable and destructive to the environment. Susi had defended the ban numerous times and said it was final in the face of previous protests.
But many of the protesters yesterday said that all of their income had dried up as a result of the cantrang prohibition and vowed not to end the protest until their voices were heard.
It did not take them long to get an official response. That same afternoon, MinisterSusi herself walked out to meet the protesters after having a discussion with several ANNI representatives as well as President Joko Widodo.
Flanked by soldiers and government officials, Susi got on top of a mobile command vehicle equipped with speakers and told the assembled fishermen that the president had decided that the cantrang ban would be overturned
However, even as the fishermen cheered (some reportedly wept with joy over the announcement), Susi noted that there would still be a number of limitations on the use of the controversial nets.
“The decision is to be respected, I do not want any illegal cantrang ships, those that are too big and no additional vessels (using cantrang),” Susi said over the loudspeakers as quoted by Kompas.
Susi also asked that the protesters start putting an end to cantrang fishing and promised that the government would provide bank credit and assistance for those who wanted to buy new fishing gear. She also warned the fishermen not to try and skirt the new rules, saying she would sink the boats of those who lied.
The fisheries minister ended her impromptu speech on a rousing nationalist note that had the fishermen cheering:
“I want you all to be the masters of Indonesia’s seas. Not foreign fishing boats,” said Susi. She then asked what they did to foreign fishing ships caught poaching in Indonesian waters.
“Sink them!,” the fisherman responded on cue.
“Long live Indonesian fishermen!” Susi ended her speech to raucous applause.
In the past, Susi has been praised by both environmentalists like Leonardo DiCaprio for her work promoting sustainable fishing practices as well as nationalists who applaud her policy of spectacularly blowing up foreign fishing vessels found poaching in Indonesian waters.
