By: Fransiska Sonya Puspita (Capture Fisheries Assistant)

The global market demand for ecolabel certified fishery products is getting higher, making the Indonesian fisheries industry must adapt to these conditions so that its products can remain competitive. PT Cassanatama Naturindo is a shrimp cracker manufacturer that has exported its products to several countries in Europe, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. As a company that has joined as a member of Seafood Savers, PT Cassanatama Naturindo is committed to conducting fisheries improvement activities for capture shrimp commodities. This is done to support the preservation of shrimp resources in nature and the sustainability of its business.

As the first step of this commitment, PT Cassanatama Naturindo together with WWF-Indonesia conducted socialization and training of Better Management Practices (BMP) for natural capture shrimp commodities using three-layer nets (trammel net) to fishermen groups who are suppliers of raw materials for shrimp cracker products. The socialization and training activities of Captured Shrimp BMPs were carried out on 14-15 December 2016 in Morodemak Village, Demak Regency and Banyutowo Village, Pati Regency, and were attended by fishermen from Sinar Bahari Morodemak group and Manunggal Kasih Bayutowo group and accompanied directly by Ardhley Wijaya, Director of PT Cassanatama Naturindo.

Before the WWF-Indonesia team gave the pre test questions as an initial assessment to determine the understanding and insight of fishermen regarding fisheries activities that have been carried out so far, the socialization and training was opened by Mr. Ardhley Wijaya, ""For example, the European market has now begun to require that the products marketed must have an ecolabel certificate, for this reason good cooperation between companies and fishermen is needed to make it happen."

After conducting the pre test the participants conducted a simulation of the vs non-sustainable fisheries game. The purpose of this simulation was to provide fishermen with an understanding of the impact of unsustainable fisheries practices on shrimp stocks in nature and to provide knowledge on the importance of utilization strategies for the sustainability of shrimp fisheries.

The material was provided by referring to the Captured Shrimp BMP as a guide for catching and handling shrimp in a better, environmentally friendly and responsible way. At the end of the activity, fishermen were given post test questions to determine the increase in understanding and insight after the provision of material. From the recapitulation of pre and post test scores that have been calculated, there is a decrease and increase in understanding. The increase in understanding occurred in the Manunggal Kasih group on average by 6.02%, while the Sinar Bahari group experienced an average decrease of 27.78%. The decrease occurred because fishermen still had difficulty in understanding the test given so they did not work on each pre and post test question correctly. In addition, interviews were also conducted to determine the percentage level of compliance (compliance) with Capture Shrimp Fisheries BMPs as the initial value (t0). The results of the interviews showed that the Sinar Bahari fishing group had a compliance rate of 80.6% and the Manunggal Kasih fishing group of 86.4%. Both groups still need improvement in terms of women's involvement in the group, cleanliness, understanding of capture fisheries regulations, and record keeping.

Departing from some aspects that need improvement, WWF-Indonesia will provide assistance as a follow-up to this BMP socialization activity. Fisheries improvement assistance will be routinely carried out for the next five years in accordance with the work plan (work plan) prepared in reference to the MSC principles. With the hope that the company can achieve all indicators that are adjusted to environmentally friendly ecolabel standards and achieve MSC certification.