Undersized Crabs Translocation Thwarted at Adisucipto International Airport

Illegal consignment of undersized crabs, later known for sale in seafood restaurants, were foiled by officers of Fish Quarantine and Inspection Agency (FQIA) of Yogyakarta on early days of new year.

The crabs packed in a styrofoam box arrived in the Airport on Tuesday, 2 Januari 2018, from Kalimantan when the officers found some of the crustacean weighed less than 200 grams, a minimum weight limit of a Scylla spp - a latin name given for the guys - allowed to catch and trade based on Ministerial Regulation of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No 56 / 2016.

“ The illegal attempt was succesfully detected through regular check at arrival border by our officers. The inspection was conducted for every fisheries consigment at arrival border as implementation of the regulation”, said Head of FQIA of Yogyakarta Suprayogie.

The regulation is enacted to ensure sustainability of rock lobsters, crabs and blue swimming crabs in Indonesian waters which has experienced extreme decline in decades due to irresponsible capture. Kalimantan well known as significant producers of the decapods is believed to have its wild crabs population plunged threatening the whole ecosystem. Thus, the limitation is expected to bring back the richness of the native waters.

A detail scrutiny of the consignment during later detention in office of Stasiun Karantina Ikan Pengendalian Mutu dan Keamanan Hasil Perikanan Yogyakarta found 118 of total 145 crabs should not be away from their native habitat. The buyer identified as H insisted unaware of the limit requirement and confessed being cheated by his supplier to whom he had fully paid for the product prices and cargo service including a guarantee of all required legal permit.

“There is a possibilities that the consignor has committed a falsification during the transportation of the product”, said the investigator of FQIA of Yogyakarta Haryanto during the inquiry.

A joint investigation would be conducted with the office of FQIA in departure point to find the suspect while more effort is badly needed to educate public of the regulation.

The last journey of the live crabs would end in the wild waters of Mangrove areas of Baros in Bantul, Yogyakarta as directed by the laws.