Western Region of Indonesia: the Nucleus of Anguillid Eel Fisheries and Trade

Abstract

Recent statistical information indicates that Indonesia embraces a huge resource of anguillid eels in its western region, especially the areas in Sumatra Island and Java that face the Indian Ocean. There are a number of anguillid eel species in Indonesia, nine of which are the most common, i.e. Anguilla bicolor bicolor, Anguilla bicolour pacifica, Anguilla nebulosa nebulosa, Anguilla marmorata, Anguilla celebesensis, Anguilla borneensis, Anguilla interioris, Anguilla obscura, and Anguilla megastoma. The anguillid resources of Indonesia are being exploited mostly by smallscale fishers who are mostly temporary fishers, fishing eels from evening to midnight and doing other jobs in the morning until noon. Anguillid eels are traded as glass eels or yellow eels where they have high potentials for export to the regional market. The demand of eel products in Indonesia is still low as it is not a food preferred by the local people, although processed eel products are now being developed and promoted in the country. In order to sustain the fisheries and management of the anguillid eel resources, it is deemed necessary that capacity building is promoted for the sustainable capture fisheries and aquaculture of anguillid eels, advocacies initiated for the conservation of the eel resources, and human resource enhanced in product processing and development, and marketing of anguillid eels.