Pelagic Fish and Demersal Fish, the Primadonna of Sea Fisheries Supply

Until now, consumers of fishery products have only distinguished fish based on their water habitat, namely freshwater fish, brackish water fish, or saltwater fish. If asked about pelagic or demersal fish, many people are still unfamiliar with the classification of these types. However, the largest export market for fisheries supply comes from fish that originate from pelagic and demersal species.

Unlike large players in the fisheries industry, they are certainly very familiar with the characteristics and differences between pelagic and demersal fish. The classification of pelagic and demersal fish is based on the type of marine habitat.

1. Definition of Pelagic Fish and Demersal Fish

Pelagic fish are fish that live on the surface of the water and live in groups.

Demersal fish are fish that live on the bottom of the muddy, sandy and rocky sea floor.

The classification of pelagic fish is further based on their size, namely small and large pelagic fish. Unlike pelagic fish, Syahrizal Siregar, Business Operations Officer of Aruna, stated, “The classification of demersal fish is distinguished by more complex characteristics based on their density and swimming ability, namely shape and bentopelagic. As an integrated fisheries commerce in the fisheries sector, Aruna also wants pelagic and demersal fish species to be familiar to the general public.”

2. Differences between Pelagic Fish and Demersal Fish

• Individual vs Group
  The most distinguishing characteristic between these two types of fish is how they live in their habitat, as pelagic fish are accustomed to living in groups while the other type is accustomed to living individually.
• Oil content in the body
  Demersal fish only have an oil content of 1%-4% of their total body weight. On the other hand, oil can be found in up to 30% of the body of pelagic fish, making the flesh of demersal fish included in the category of white fish.

3. Primadona Fisheries Supply Commodities from Pelagic and Demersal Fish

Each pelagic and demersal fish in Indonesian waters is a primadona commodity in the fisheries sector, both for domestic and international markets. Some examples include:

• Pelagic fish: skipjack, tuna, mackerel, Indian mackerel, anchovy
• Demersal fish: grouper, snapper, milkfish, pomfret, red snapper

The general public is certainly familiar with and consider the above fish as food. Syahrizal said, “Not only in the Aruna ecosystem, but in general, from each of these two types of marine fish, the primadona and widely available in various seafood suppliers are skipjack, which is a pelagic fish, and grouper from demersal fish.”

4. Despite Having Economic Value, Fish Sustainability Must be Maintained

Both pelagic and demersal fish have been commercially caught for a long time to meet fisheries supply needs and serve as the main dish in restaurants and households. Therefore, the habitats of both types of fish must be monitored to prevent overfishing, which can cause environmental damage and drastically reduce their availability.

Aruna, as a fisheries company that prioritizes the application of sustainable fisheries concepts, continues to work with fishing communities to maintain the availability of fish and their habitats, and to use fishing methods that do not harm the environment. “With the increasing number of Aruna Hubs spread across various coastal areas in Indonesia, the application of sustainable fishing methods has been proven to improve the livelihoods of fishermen in terms of understanding and economics,” said Syahrizal when asked about one of the steps Aruna takes to implement sustainable fisheries.

In addition to successfully opening up wider market access for local fishing communities to meet their fisheries supply needs, many fisheries companies through their ecosystems also make many efforts to ensure that the economy and ecology can work in synergy. Aruna is an example of a fisheries company that can encourage its member fishermen to actively participate in preserving the aquatic habitat.

Making Indonesia the World’s Maritime Axis in 2045

The Republic of Indonesia, with its vast archipelagic territory and vast marine resources, has set its vision to become the world’s maritime axis in 2045. However, there are many obstacles to overcome in various sectors that must be addressed to achieve this grand goal. One way to facilitate Indonesia’s progress is to make Indonesia the center of sustainable fisheries in the world.

Indonesia is one of the world’s important ports

The world’s maritime sector is not just about fisheries and marine affairs but also involves sea trade routes that have been dominated by neighboring countries. Vice President K.H Ma’ruf Amin stated that 90% of global trade transported through sea routes, 40% of which pass through the Malacca Strait, especially Indonesian waters. From the global sea trade route aspect, Indonesia already has a fairly important position. Even thanks to various improvements in dwelling time at Indonesian ports by the end of 2022, it will only take 2-2.5 days, far shorter than in 2016, which could take up to one week.

On the maritime infrastructure side, the Indonesian government has made many improvements to realize its vision of becoming the world’s maritime axis, including the marine resources handled by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves). The real results of the synergy between these two ministries to strengthen Indonesia’s maritime pillar are becoming increasingly visible.

Making Indonesia the World’s Maritime Axis and the Center of Sustainable Fisheries

With the various recorded advancements, is Indonesia already worthy of the title of maritime axis or the center of sustainable fisheries in the world? The answer is still not yet, but it is getting closer. The government, through the KKP, has even created five priority programs that have been running with the aim of advancing the economy as well as the ecology of the maritime sector.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through the report entitled “The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022” released data that China is the country with the highest marine fish production in the world and the main seafood supplier with a yield of 11.77 million tons, while Indonesia’s total production is 6.4 million tons. Meanwhile, the big problem that still hinders the fisheries industry in Indonesia is illegal fishing. To reduce illegal fishing, the KKP has even issued the Measured Fish Capture (PIT) policy.

Implementation of the PIT Program as a Solution to 2 Problems at Once

The PIT policy has also been implemented by the Chinese government to regulate target vessel limits, fishing gear used, and fishing permits, but the Chinese government encourages fishermen to catch as many fish as possible (overfishing). This can be used as a weapon by Indonesia by applying sustainability awareness and continuously improving production capacity so that Indonesian fish will be more valued because they are obtained or cultured while balancing the ecology in line with the blue economy concept.

Indonesia’s potential marine resources are still very large because China, with an area of 3.5 million km2 of sea, can produce fish with a total of 11.77 tons. Meanwhile, Indonesia, with an area twice the size of China’s sea (6.3 million km2), can only produce 6.4 million tons. This weakness can actually be turned into strength so that with the KIP policy taken by the government while running four other priority programs, it can increase fishery production through other channels, namely cultivation. The Indonesian government’s step to make PIT a solution to reduce illegal fishing while increasing fishery cultivation efforts is a brilliant effort.

Support from all stakeholders in the fisheries industry is needed.

What needs to be noted by fisheries practitioners from upstream to downstream, including Aruna itself as a fisheries company, is to continue to support Indonesia to strengthen its pillars in order to become the world’s maritime axis and center of sustainable fisheries in the world. Especially with the presence of Aruna Hub which has helped implement sustainable fisheries and increase fishermen’s income, Aruna will continue to support the government to advance the maritime world, especially the fisheries sector in Indonesia.

The Importance of Human Resource Investment, KKP Realizes OII Transformation

Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono once said, “The key to the successful implementation of blue economic policy is excellent human resources.” Amid the government’s active implementation of the blue economy concept that is closely related to sustainability, the government is also seriously considering sustainable fisheries partnership jobs that can be filled by competent professionals to advance the world of fisheries in the Republic of Indonesia. Therefore, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), through the Marine and Fisheries Research and Human Resources Agency (BRSDM Perikanan), has united various fisheries education institutions into the Ocean Institute of Indonesia (OII).

Previously, KKP through BRSDM Perikanan had 20 higher and secondary education units and a Fisheries Business Expertise Polytechnic (AUP) located in Jakarta. All of these education units were finally merged to create a single institute called OII. The government carried out this merger because it was well aware that strategic steps were needed to fill the need for sustainable fisheries partnership jobs with the right human resources (HR) and job opportunities.

OII will become the only institution ready to fulfill Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Jobs

“To that end, I have asked the Head of BRSDM to design the formation of the Ocean Institute of Indonesia, which will later become the only higher education institution in Indonesia specifically in the field of marine and fisheries,” concluded Minister Trenggono. OII, which was officially launched in August 2022, is not only a vocational education institution, but also a scientific education institution that has collaborated with foreign universities from South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and others.

OII Study Programs Designed to be More Relevant to Industry Needs

After its transformation, the Ocean Institute of Indonesia now offers various study programs that have been prepared to be more relevant to the needs of the fishing industry and sustainable fisheries partnership jobs, including:

• Fisheries Mechanization
• Fishery Capture Technology
• Machining
• Fishery Product Processing Technology
• Aquaculture Technology
• Water Resource Utilization Technology
• Fishery Extension, Resource Utilization
• Marine Engineering Techniques
• Fishery Capture Technology
• Ship Machining
• Agribusiness
• Fishery Pathology Handling Technology

The transformation of OII was also carried out by improving the HR of teaching staff and academic actors in the fisheries sector by holding the 2022-2025 Vocational and Fisheries Professor Program.

Of course, in the future, OII students will also participate in the fisheries industry not only as experts and professionals in the ranks of KKP but also can develop business ecosystems. This was reflected during a visit by members of the DPR, where OII students had already developed the entrepreneurship field by displaying marine and fishery products from the Jakarta, Serang, and Bogor campuses.

Taruna OII Has Successfully Developed Economically Valuable Products

Not only focusing on fishery product development, but Taruna also showcased a unique product, holy mangrove tea, which contains antioxidants and prevents various diseases such as cancer, diarrhea, hepatitis, digestive disorders, premature aging, and many other health benefits. This mangrove tea exhibited by Taruna can be used as a sample material for business incubation that involves product development and market expansion while still considering the aspect of sustainability since mangrove plays a significant role in the marine and fishery ecosystem.

Preparing competent human resources to fill various positions in sustainable fisheries partnership jobs must receive support and involvement from various sectors. Moreover, 54% of the total population in Indonesia is comprised of youths. Aruna as a fishery company hopes that the coastal community can have adequate skills to empower their local economy.

Another important thing to consider is that our country needs not only human resources that match the needs of the job market, but also those who can expand the job availability. Given the enormous potential of marine and fishery resources in Indonesia that have not been fully utilized, Aruna Hub will continuously transfer all necessary knowledge so that progress can be made from upstream to downstream, and even in the seafood supplier line, where the coastal community can participate and have a role to play.

Freshwater Vannamei Shrimp Farming, A Promising Fisheries Business?

In line with the blue economy concept, the government, through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), has decided to gradually reduce fishing quotas. Of course, this MMAF-led policy has prepared a solution to the problem of quota restrictions by intensifying fishermen’s agricultural activities. A promising alternative fishery for anglers is freshwater Vannamei shrimp farming.

Vannamei shrimp are marine animals that naturally live in the sea, but with some modifications they can be reared in freshwater. This method is not popular yet, but many entrepreneurs have already done it and its cultivation can bring satisfactory results.

If done right, the Vannamei shrimp farm will become a promising fishery

There are certainly notable differences between freshwater and seawater, since seawater contains many minerals that freshwater lacks. Therefore, before breeding Vannamei shrimp in fresh water, farm fishermen must first prepare special minerals so that their composition is close to that of sea water.

shrimp need to be modified and adjusted to adapt

Several ingredients must be added to freshwater to make it a good breeding ground for Vannamei shrimp. These include clay, agricultural lime, cross salt, potassium chloride (KCl), white spirit, potassium carbonate, and magnesium chloride. By adding the above ingredients in the right composition, the freshwater substrate applied is ready to be used as a new habitat for Vannamei shrimp seeds.

After achieving the equivalent mineral composition of seawater in freshwater media, shrimp seeds naturally have to adapt to the media used, since the modified freshwater media are characterized by low salinity. This adaptation can be done by rearing 1 to 10 larvae. After acclimatization, the shrimp seeds can be released into the rearing pond depending on the last salinity.

Vannamei shrimp are more disease resistant when reared in fresh water

From the cultivation of freshwater Vannamei shrimp, the unique fact was gained that shrimp farmed outside of their natural habitat actually show increased resistance to WSSV (White Spot Virus) or Myo-disease. This fact can be a magnet and make farming freshwater vannamei shrimp a promising fishery, especially as an alternative income for fishermen.Since this culture can also be carried out in places far from the coast, fishermen can build culture media on their terrace.

The

vannamei shrimp farming is not only a promising fishery, but there will also be knock-on effects as the demand for various raw materials needed to modify freshwater increases. This creates new economic potential for people to become suppliers of minerals. Aside from making shrimp distribution easier, fish suppliers can also get a more stable price because they don’t have to order from too far away. Of course, the knock-on effect of growing

crayfish will be very positive for the fishing industry.

Aruna Supports the Government in Providing Broader Access

The potential of cultivating various variants of sea shrimp in modified freshwater media must be widely socialized to the public, especially fishermen affected by fishing quotas restrictions. Aruna Hub, as part of the fisheries ecosystem, will gladly support and become a government partner to disseminate this cultivation potential while still prioritizing sustainable fisheries aspects. The implementation of sustainability insights in the fisheries sector is essential to be promoted on every occasion so that economic progress can maintain ecological health, a fundamental principle that is in line with the concept of a blue economy.

Kebumen Shrimp Farm, an Inclusive Example of Sustainable Fisheries

Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, commonly known as KKP, is increasingly demonstrating its efforts to integrate sustainability into fisheries. The recently built Modern Shrimp Farm (BUBK) in Kebumen, Central Java is KKP’s latest project and a perfect example of sustainable fishing.

Tablets Haeru Rahayu, general manager of fisheries and aquaculture at KKP, described how KKP turned this regional shrimp farm into a pilot project for other regions to follow. “We are developing a paradigm for regional shrimp farming.We will continue to fight for this. Thank goodness KKP is working with Kebumen Regency government this year. The Regent is always late,” he said.

An example of sustainable and inclusive fisheries in terms of human resources, environment and economy

From the start, KKP made it clear that it would use local technical staff and human resources from surrounding communities to operate the largest modern shrimp farm in Indonesia. The main goal of this modern farm is to show how effective sustainable wisdom can be applied and how it has a positive impact on many different areas, especially ecological and economical.

This state-of-the-art farm helps protect the environment and improve local income and community living standards. The success of this modern shrimp farm will be another concrete proof that the principles of circular economy and blue economy are implemented in the fisheries sector. In this way, the evaluation and research on the examples of sustainable fishing at the BUBK can be further deepened.

Previously less productive shrimp farming area

A shrimp farm established in Kebumen on 100 hectares of land already occupied 60 hectares of land used for the construction of various infrastructures. This area, formerly built as a traditional shrimp farm, had an irregular productivity of 0.6 tons/ha/year and had no sewage treatment plant. Thanks to the direct idea of ​​Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggeno, the land was developed and today it is a breakthrough in the development of shrimp farming with a more modern and productive concept. The national target of 2 million tons of shrimp production is expected to be able to supply seafood suppliers in different regions in 2024.

“This is the first in Indonesia and we will build such models in many places in Indonesia. We are launching BUBK with Kebumen as the national driver,” Trenggeno said during a site visit with Kebumen Regent Arif Sugiyanto, Vice Regent Ristawati Purwaningsih, Forkompimda officials, KRT H Darori Wonodipuro, Indonesian MP for Kebumen and related officials.

Development at the initiative of the Minister of Maritime Economy and Fisheries

Minister Trenggeno also announced that the BUBK model is indeed very suitable for construction due to its modern management and the consideration of environmental sustainability and surrounding ecosystem aspects. KKP expects that BUBK will start operations in Kebumen in February 2023 and will take on no fewer than 300 direct employees. The regent of Kebumen, Arif Sugiyanto, also stated that local workers to be deployed in the future will first be trained in Jepara before being hired to manage BUBK.

Aruna, as a fishing company that attaches great importance to the application of technology and sustainability aspects, will also participate in making the Kebumen BUBK project an example of sustainable fisheries that deserves to be researched and applied to the development of the Fishing industry to be recreated. By prioritizing partnerships, one of which is through the Aruna Hub, the future of the country’s fisheries will undoubtedly benefit various sectors of society.

Transparency of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Concept

Sustainable fisheries management consists of three interconnected elements: ecological, economic, and social. This was revealed by Sugeng Hari Wisudo, an expert in the utilization of fishery resources, marine technology, and fishery system analysis. Therefore, the government must create regulations that also consider the interests of business actors, conservation, and society. “This is where transparency is important. I see that the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has already opened up and fishermen have engaged in dialogue, and this is continually done, so that they can eventually reach an optimum point for everyone,” said Sugeng.

Recently, the government opened a discussion forum with fishermen to discuss changes to the Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) mechanism that applies to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, from pre-production to post-production. This change aims to optimize the implementation of sustainability in the fisheries industry, so that fish availability in the sea can be maintained.

Bureaucratic changes from pre-production to post-production are in line with the Blue Economy and provide easy access.

In a discussion entitled “Post-Production PNBP Regulation” at the KKP Media Center held on Thursday, January 19, 2023, and attended by fishermen, Director General of Capture Fisheries at KKP, Ukon Ahmad Furqon, provided a more detailed explanation of the changes to this collection mechanism. This post-production calculation mechanism change also eliminates the cost of managing the Fishing Permit Letter (SIPI), so that PNBP is only based on actual catch amounts.

With strengthened reporting infrastructure that uses appropriate technology, fishermen and business actors can independently fill in catch data through the e-PIT application. The data that is inputted independently will later be verified by the government and if there is a deficiency in payment after verification, then business actors are required to pay the remaining balance. This collection calculation mechanism change has also been regulated in Government Regulation Number 85 of 2021 concerning Types and Tariffs on Types of Non-Tax State Revenue that apply to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

Prioritizing Discussions in Determining Policies for the Synergistic Implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Concept

In determining policies and implementing the sustainable fisheries concept, KKP certainly still involves and listens to the input given by fishermen and business actors. One of the examples is when fishermen requested a reduction in the PNBP index rate for vessels over 60 gross tonnage (GT). Ukon stated that he had prepared a way out by adjusting the Fish Reference Price (HAI), which is one of the variables in calculating the post-production mechanism for PNBP collection.

Kajidin, the Chairman of the United Fishermen’s Front of Indramayu, also revealed that they did not object to the mechanism changes, but requested a review of the index rate for vessels above 60 GT and the government could accelerate the transition period. “Ships over 60 GT received feedback from fishermen because the tariff index is considered quite high. This is what we absorb. The Minister has also recently directly received feedback from fishermen. The process is currently ongoing, and we have discussed it with colleagues in the Ministry of Finance and they support it. We continue to discuss how this can be resolved quickly as expected,” said Ukon.

Aruna, which consistently emphasizes synergy with the community through Aruna Hub, highly appreciates the openness of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to listen to the aspirations of fishermen as part of the fisheries ecosystem in implementing sustainable fisheries concept. This is done to apply a sustainable fisheries system while still considering the interests of every group involved, including coastal communities and even seafood supplier stakeholders. Therefore, every policy is not only made for the benefit of the government, businesses, conservation, or small communities but can also foster synergy so that it can run well and simultaneously.

Embodying the Sustainable Fisheries Case Study from the Coastal Communities

Coastal communities are indeed the spearheads of the implementation of sustainable fisheries. It is from the coastal communities that we can see the success of the implementation of sustainability concepts and turn them into sustainable fisheries case studies.

We have to be very aware that sustainability concepts are not only important for the fisheries industry, but also for natural preservation. Communities living on the coast will often find protected marine animals that need to be treated and may not be traded or consumed. Therefore, they must have sufficient knowledge.

Viral Video Deserves Deeper Study for Sustainable Fisheries Case Study

Recently, a video showing the moment when they caught fish in the sea can be used as a sustainable fisheries case study. In the video uploaded on social media, it can be seen that they found turtles that got into their trawl. The fishers understood that all types of sea turtles are included in the category of protected animals.

Because of that they then got the turtles trapped out of the nets. Even in the video, you can see the fishers were helping clean the turtle shells from parasitic animal patches. From the explanation of the fishers, it was said that the largest turtle was estimated to be 8 years old. After cleaning the shells, the fishers released the turtle to the sea.

The Fisher’s Final Message

“Let’s take care of marine life, guys!” one of the fishers at the end of the video said. The video has been widely shared by various electronic media. Many people who watched the video expressed their excitement for the attitude of the fishers. It’s commonly known that turtles moreover have economic value in illegal trade, so many people tend not to do what they should when they find protected animals. 

From the actions taken by the fishers in the video, it can be seen how they were not tempted by the potential for the great profits that could be obtained. Instead, they released the turtle to the open sea. This is then turned into a sustainable fisheries case study.

Fishers and coastal communities who have been equipped with sustainable fisheries concepts and implementations will play an active role in protecting animals in the ocean, given that they already have awareness that the balance of nature must be maintained. The community is no longer tempted to get involved in illegal activities that can damage nature both in the short and long term.

The active role of the community must be increased

With the active role of all coastal communities in protecting and monitoring the environment, surely there will be no more parties secretly selling protected animals to unscrupulous seafood suppliers. In addition, coastal communities who already have adequate knowledge can also help prevent the extinction of protected animals.

The task of educating the public about the importance of implementing sustainability concepts in the fisheries sector is a task that must be carried out together. Aruna, as one of the actors in the industry, continues to assist coastal communities, not only to improve their standard of living but to also provide provision of knowledge in maintaining the balance of nature.

Laguna Wayag is a Suitable Candidate for Sustainable Fisheries Case Study

People who are fond of traveling may already be familiar with Raja Ampat, especially the Wayag area. Moreover, lovers of the beauty of the sea and diving enthusiasts must have included Wayag, which is located in West Papua Province, in their list of favorite diving spots. What many people still don’t know is that in this exotic lagoon area, there is a conservation area with a technological approach that deserves to be explored deeper as a case study of sustainable fisheries.

The conservation area is the first ever coral manta ray growth habitat in the world located in the West Waigeo National Conservation Area, where the Wayag Lagoon which has become a worldwide tourist destination is included in the conservation area. Managing an area with 2 major activities in the form of tourism and conservation is certainly not easy. However, apparently this has been successfully carried out by the government through the management of the Raja Ampat Conservation Area.

Conservation in Waya as a Sustainable Fisheries Case Study that Has Received International Appreciation

Not long ago, in an event held in the city of Lisbon, Portugal, the Marine Conservation Institute (MCI) held the 2nd United Nations Ocean Conservation. On this occasion, the Raja Ampat Conservation Area was awarded a gold level Blue Park Award. The honor was awarded because MCI saw that the management of coral manta ray conservation in Raja Ampat was successful and effective, even though the conservation area shares the same area as the tourist area.

The appreciation obtained by the management of this conservation area is the proof of their hard work. The government through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is indeed optimizing its human resources, along with the use of appropriate technology in managing the area. Several technological implementations that have made conservation management in Wayag worthy of emulation and made into sustainable fisheries case studies that have been carried out since 2013 include:

• Photo ID & Drone method
• Satellite Locator Method
• Passive Acoustic Tracking Method

Using these three methods, it was observed that the juveniles of coral manta rays were detected almost continuously in the Wayag Lagoon area without leaving the area for more than 4 months.

The Support of All Elements of Society Determines the Success of Conservation Management

The results of observations and findings summarized by a team consisting of experts and researchers regarding coral manta rays have been collected in an open-access scientific journal on Frontiers in Marine Science. Departing from this scientific journal, the National Marine Protected Areas Agency (BKKPN) formulated a better management strategy to improve the protection of the manta ray enlargement areas and ensure the survival of the juvenile coral manta rays that live in the Wayag Lagoon.

The success of the management of the Raja Ampat Islands Marine Conservation Area in elaborating the right utilization of technology as well as natural resources and human resources is a valuable lesson in itself. This is due to the fact that the Indonesian region has 201 conservation areas spread across various regions. Cross-sectoral synergy between the government, academics and other actors involved in the water sector is really needed.

How the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries strives for the fisheries industry to develop while continuing to strive for the implementation of sustainable fisheries must indeed involve all levels of society, bearing in mind that economic progress without being accompanied by maintained natural conditions will backfire in the future.

We all have to play an active role so that there are no more actions that could damage nature or there are cases where protected animals are actually sold by unscrupulous seafood suppliers just for profit. Therefore, Aruna built Aruna Hub, a supply point where Aruna also empowers coastal communities through several activities, such as seafood transactions, warehousing, and community gatherings throughout Indonesia. As one of the elements in the marine ecosystem, Aruna will continue to support the government’s efforts so that the wider community can implement sustainability insights. With the application of sustainable insights in various aspects, economic and ecological progress can be achieved simultaneously.

Here’s How to Make Your Food Stock Last Longer

For those of us who enjoy cooking at home, we usually find our own kind of happiness when they manage to buy various cooking ingredients in fresh conditions. However, more often when we are looking forward to using these ingredients, it turns out that they are not as fresh as when we just bought them. This is where disappointment usually rears its ugly face. This hits harder when getting your favorite ingredients from fresh seafood sellers isn’t easy because there are often some seafoods that are not always readily available.

If that’s the case, don’t feel disappointed and quickly give up on hunting for fresh ingredients. How about trying these simple tips that can make your food ingredients stay fresh longer instead:

• Find and pick a trustworthy seafood merchant

We must ensure that the seller is selling the product in a fresh condition. Don’t be easily lulled by one-sided claims! If necessary, you may ask for a guarantee that the product is indeed fresh. Moreover, if you place an order from a marine fish supplier online. It is mandatory to pay attention to the information and terms and conditions listed by the seller.

• Make sure the seller provides the appropriate packaging

There are still many who are not aware, here, that the media used to package food will greatly determine how long the freshness of the food can be maintained. Moreover, each food ingredient cannot be uniformed in its packaging technique.

• Store them in correct portions

If you have just finished shopping for various groceries from fresh seafood sellers in large quantities, it’s a good idea to immediately categorize these groceries into different sections or storage containers. Because the food ingredients that you store in 1 container then often go in and out of the storage area, it will lose its freshness quickly.

• Keep away from direct light and heat exposure

Yes, what you read is exactly what it is. Most fresh ingredients do better when stored in low light. Have you ever heard of the term photodegradation? Photodegradation is the process of decreasing the quality of food or drink due to too much exposure to light because foods containing vitamins, proteins, pigments and fats will easily decrease in quality if exposed to too much light. The light in question includes ultraviolet light and light rays.

• Label each storage container

When buying groceries at different times, we can easily forget exactly when we bought these ingredients. The longer an ingredient is stored, of course the freshness of the ingredients will continue to decrease. The function of the label that you attach to each container is to make it easier to remember when we bought the ingredients. If necessary, you can at the same time include information until what date the food ingredients are suitable for use or consumption.

If you are still on the fence about which seller of fresh seafood you can trust, it’s time for you to get to know seafoodbyaruna. Because seafoodbyaruna guarantees that all the products provided are always fresh until they arrive at your home.

Seafoodbyaruna doesn’t just sell fresh seafood products, but also guarantees that the products provided are caught in an environmentally friendly way. Moreover, the products provided are channeled directly from the hands of the fishermen, not through sea fish supplier intermediaries. By implementing the right technology and systems in our distribution channels, we guarantee that the freshness of the fish products you receive is maintained.

Circular Economy as One Model of a Sustainable Fisheries Practice

Noticing the ever-growing impacts of industrial activities towards the environment, now, countries of the world are becoming more conscious of greener economic activities. What “greener” means is reducing negative impacts of economic activities towards the environment. Building up from the growing awareness of the leaders of the world, the concept of circular economy has now become a popular phrase among the top minds of the world. The commitment to apply Circular Economy also includes the marine and fisheries sector—in fact, these are one model of sustainable fisheries practice that deserves everyone’s support.

The concept of Circular Economy is one of the newest economic models that focuses on the 3Rs: Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling, as well as reducing the use of primary energy sources and waste production. The application of this concept is considered as the best strategy to recover national economic conditions after the pandemic.

Kukuh S. Achmad, theChairman of the National Standardization Agency states that all of the countries of the world have started transforming their economy to a greener approach in order to reduce the impact of economic activities towards the environment, and support long-term growth—one method of which is Circular Economy. This idea is supported by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, which says that Circular Economy is actually one of the prioritized developments in the National Medium Term Development Plan of 2020-2024.

The Application of Circular Economy Also As One Model of a Sustainable Fisheries Practice

Circular Economy is in line with the application of Sustainable Fisheries of the Blue Economy. The concept of Blue Economy was first introduced by Dr. Gunter Pauli, which places the ocean as the center of economic growth and welfare improvement, as well as environment preservation. So, we can come to the conclusion that Circular Economy and Blue Economy are strongly tied to each other.

The Indonesian government, in adopting Circular Economy in its developmental vision and strategy, devised 5 priority sectors: inventorization and rehabilitation of coastal and marine ecosystems, recovery of sustainable lands, development of Green Economy, development of sustainable energy production, and management of integrated waste management. As such, the involvement of everyone in the fisheries industry in applying sustainable knowledge will help in executing government programs to apply Circular Economy as well as Blue Economy—be it for fishers, industry players, seafood suppliers, or even the society, as consumers.

Sustainability: the Key to Generating Big Impacts for the Economy and Ecology

All of the government policies that are applied are closely related to the economic impact that are caused—similar to how the Circular Economy operates. National research teams have calculated positive impacts of the success of the implementation of Circular Economy, which is quite sizable.

“In several studies and scenarios of the implementation of Circular Economy, if we start with the 5 priority sectors, would have its results in 2030 where Circular Economy would increase the GDP up to IDR 638 trillion, create new jobs, reduce CO2 emissions up to 126 million tons, and reduce water use up to 6,3 billion cubic meters,” said Airlangga.

Penerapan wawasan keberlanjutan sudah sejak awal diterapkan oleh startup Aruna bersama ekosistem pendukung perikanan yang bernama Aruna Hub. Karena Aruna melihat menjalankan konsep keberlangsungan menjadi one model of a sustainable fisheries practice yang komprehensif dan akan menyelesaikan banyak masalah secara sekaligus. Terbukti ada banyak manfaat yang telah dirasakan oleh masyarakat, di antaranya:

The implementation of conscious sustainability methods have been done by Aruna with its own ecosystem created to support the growth of fisheries called the Aruna Hub. Aruna has observed sustainability as one model of a sustainable fisheries practice that is very comprehensive and important in solving many problems at one. Some of the many benefits that are now felt by everyone include:

• Increased knowledge among fishers and coastal community members,
• Better access to wider markets,
• Better economy standards,
• Increased employment rate,
• Increase in the effective use of technology in appropriate fields,
• Better access to fresh seafood products for all members of society.

Circular Economy, Blue Economy, and Sustainability are the 3 keys to create massive impacts in the fisheries sector should they be implemented properly and comprehensively, upstream to downstream. The success of governmental involvement and support from all stakeholders and society will put Indonesia as a model country for the one model of a sustainable fisheries practice that can successfully benefit cross-sector implementations.