Majority of Traditional Fish Landing Sites in Indonesia Had No Management in 2024

Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that there were 747 traditional fish landing sites (PIT) in Indonesia in 2024, an increase of 2.05% from the previous year.

PITs are places/locations commonly used by the local community for fish landing, but they are not included in the category of fishing ports.

Based on management, PITs are divided into three: PITs managed by the fisheries agency, groups/individuals, and those with no management.

In 2024, according to BPS, the majority of PITs in Indonesia did not have a manager, totaling 460 PITs or 61.58% of the total PITs.

Meanwhile, 241 PITs (32.26%) were managed independently by groups or individuals, and 46 PITs (6.16%) were managed by the local fisheries agency.

BPS stated that this condition reflects the weak governance of the traditional Indonesian fisheries sector, especially at the starting point of the catch supply chain.

This is because the absence of formal management can result in various risks, such as poor hygiene standards, the lack of a catch recording system, and difficulty in tracing the source of the fish.

This, BPS explained, can affect the quality, selling value, and market access of the seafood.

"The minimal role of government institutions in the management of PITs also hinders the integration of small-scale fisheries into the modern logistics system and national value chain," BPS wrote in the Statistics of Traditional Landing Site 2024.

However, BPS continued, traditional ports play a vital role as the main hub for landing micro-scale seafood that is scattered across various coastal regions.

"Going forward, a strategy is needed to strengthen the institutional framework of PITs through legalization, the establishment of community-based management units, and mentoring from the fisheries agency," said BPS.