From Dining Table to Extreme Weather (Friday, February 11, 2011)

 From Dining Table to Extreme Weather (Friday, February 11, 2011)

If you want to enjoy seafood, be prepared to spend more deeply. Extreme weather that occurred in recent months had an impact for seafood lovers. The prices of fish like snapper, tuna, pomfret, tuna, and crab, shrimp, and squid in the traditional markets rose between 30-70 percent. This is one of the results of a survey conducted by the People's Coalition for Justice Fisheries (KIARA) on the fishermen. Extreme weather, high waves in this case, could reduce the income of fishermen between 50-70 percent. Fishermen who live in areas they survey Sibolga, North Sumatra; Tarakan, East Kalimantan; Bau-Bau, Southeast Sulawesi, and Jakarta Bay. In the last five years, high-frequency waves are more often reduces the number of days they go to sea. From an average of 240-300 days per year, now they just sail around 160-180 days per year. Why does all this affect the price of fish in the market? Because up to 75% of national fish consumption, this means that the seafood you often find in the traditional market or supermarket, comes from the small fishermen who numbered 2.7 million people. Unlike rice or wheat, which rely on imported products, a very small amount of fish consumption from the Indonesian families who come from abroad. The fewer the number of days at sea means the less fish caught by fishermen. Finally, the diminished supply of fish that arrived at traditional markets and supermarkets, so the price of seafood increases expensive. The main problem now is weather extremes, in this case the large waves that make a little scared to go sea fishing. Weather extremes that occur more often is one measure being the occurrence of climate change. It is not impossible, without government intervention or protection against small fishermen in the face of weather extremes, the price of fish and other seafood will be increasingly skyrocket. The Center for Social and Economic Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Agus Heri Purnomo in an environmental discussion in Jakarta on Friday (11 / 2), also presents the results of the research institutions to small fishermen. If for most people in Indonesia 'climate change' is still an abstract concept, for the small fishermen, the condition is already tangible becomes a challenge. For the fishermen in cilamaya, Falkirk, a combination of strong winds and high waves that the more often they consider to be the biggest obstacle when trying to go to sea. As for the fish farmers, prolonged rainfall (more often) and start flooding difficult. In areas such as Cijulang, Ciamis or Batu Karas, Pangandaran, 2-3 meter waves make their shrunken sea. More than 60% of the fishermen in Cijulang had trouble catching fish, and fish production in the region has fallen by more than 50% since 2009. Most of this decline in productivity due to natural or they feel that changing climate. Not only in cilamaya or Cijulang fishermen surveyed by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Fishermen in Boyolali, Falkirk, Gresik, Boyolali, Cilacap, Pekalongan, Gowa, and Home Knives and West Kotawaringin in Central Kalimantan, too, felt the impact of climate change. At least the fishermen were feeling increasingly warmer sea temperatures (and then have an impact on damage to coral reefs, which mean fewer fish food), strong winds and high waves, and finally on the decline in fish production and their incomes. As a result, fewer and fewer fish in the market or supermarket. And if there is, you also have to be prepared to buy a more expensive price. Ultimately, climate change or the warming earth is not an abstract concept or simply environmental issues only. The impact to the table to eat and our stomach. Isyana Artharini