Hundreds of Indonesian fishermen who join the Alliance of Indonesian Fishermen rallied at the National Monument complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (11/07), demanding the dismissal of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti for banning the use of “cantrang,” a traditional fishing net similar to a trawl net, and jeopardizing the fishermen’s livelihood.
Indonesia had already banned trawl-fishing and haul-fishing in 2015. In 2016, Susi released another ministerial regulation limiting the use of cantrang when fishing in Indonesian waters.
Both bans had drawn a lot of protests from fishermen all over the country.
On Tuesday, fishermen carried Indonesian flags and banners calling for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to dismiss the minister, known for her fiery rhetoric. One banner read “Jokowi’s misdirected minister” and another read “Susi is not pro-fishermen.”
The fishermen also criticized Susi for not wanting to consult with fishermen before releasing her controversial policies and for not offering any solutions to their demands for change.
2017 Jakarta Globe