Aruna Formulated an Action Plan for Fisheries Improvement Program on Blue Swimming Crab

East Kalimantan, Indonesia – On 20-21 September 2023 in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Aruna, the pioneer of integrated fisheries commerce in Indonesia, held a Fisheries Improvement Program Stakeholder Meeting for Blue Swimming Crab commodity. The main agenda was the establishment of a consultative panel and a mutual agreement on a specific action plan. This activity was initiated by Aruna as one of the true believers of eligibility in obtaining MSC certification. Aruna had previously undergone the pre-assessment stage early in the previous year. 

Capacity Building Training (CBT) Level 1 for interdisciplinary parties in the fishery field also took place there. The capacity building aimed to drive up the stakeholders’ understanding of MSC certification standards, hence sustainable fisheries in East Kalimantan could be consistently promoted and actualized. This event was expected to give a lingering positive impact on crab fisheries in the area. 

It was opened by Muhammad Idnillah, the Director of Vessels and Fishing Equipment at the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries MMAF. Multi stakeholders attended the event, such as the Fisheries and Marine Service of East Kalimantan Province, the Balikpapan Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Office, the Fisheries Service of North Penajam Paser Regency (PPU), the Fisheries Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (PUSRISKAN BRIN), the Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision Unit of Tarakan (Satwas SDKP), the Fish Quarantine Agency, and Class I Fisheries Product Quality and Safety Control of Balikpapan (BKIPM). 

Muhammad Idnillah or the one who was more often called Cak Muh, said, “We fully support Aruna’s initiation to carry out a crab fisheries improvement program in East Kalimantan Province. We’re positive that this will improve the traceability of fishery products in the region. This program, we’re sure, can encourage the use of environmentally friendly fishing gears and optimize the legality of fishing vessels, one step at a time.” 

The results of this stakeholder meeting then formulated the formation of a consultative panel. The panel worked on the commodity management of Blue Swimming Crab and an action plan for the Fisheries Improvement Progress Program. The specified plan and consultative panel got the full support of many parties, one of which was Irhan Hukmaidy, the Head of the Marine and Fisheries Service (DKP) of East Kalimantan Province. He said, “What a brilliant initiative to manage sustainable fishery resources! It’s really in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. Let’s hope that this agenda can increase not only the competitiveness of fishery products, but also the social and economic benefits for the community.” 

Closing the agenda, Utari Octavianty, the Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Aruna, added, “Frankly, we expect that with this stakeholder meeting, we can collaborate with more stakeholders, as well as work with them, especially on our function in the consultative panel. Hopefully we can develop not only a strategic plan for sustainable crab fisheries management, but also consistently bring it to life together.”