Until now, the ability of Bontang fishermen to export grouper is only a maximum of 1 ton. This was conveyed by Ismail, Manager of the Tanjung Limau Floating Net Cage (KJA), during an interview with Radarbontang.com some time ago. Ismail revealed that the 1 ton of grouper exported from Bontang fishermen is a combination of the results of grouper cultivation fishermen who are members of the Bontang Fishermen Cooperative for the Tourism and Maritime Economy (Kopnel BEM). "If the harvest from all fishermen members of the BEM Kopnel reaches 1 ton, then a ship from Berau will come to take the harvest," said Ismail on the sidelines of a media visit following the Bontang Baru Fun Trip Package (Boba) some time ago. Currently Bontang has not been listed as a grouper exporting area. This is because Bontang fishermen have not been able to meet the minimum demand from Hong Kong, as the recipient country of export proceeds, which is 12 tonnes every 2 months.

So that Bontang fishermen still rely on Berau which has been registered as a grouper exporting area. When Bontang fishermen manage to harvest 1 ton of grouper, the ship from Berau will take the harvest. "If the yield is below 1 ton, the Berau ship will not take it. Later, the Bontang grouper harvest will be collected in Berau along with other regional harvests. Then it is separated according to the request of the export recipient country," explained the man who has been a fisherman in grouper cultivation for 20 years. He added that currently the obstacle experienced by fishermen in Bontang grouper cultivation is the matter of seeds. In Bontang or East Kalimantan there are no grouper nurseries. So Bontang fishermen have to buy from Situbondo. The problem is that buying seeds from Situbondo is more expensive. "Outside of the seeds measuring 1 centimeter, the price is one thousand, so far, if for example the size of 10 centimeters can reach a price of 19 thousand. We can't make a profit because it's expensive in shipping costs,” he complained. Even though he said that in Bontang there was already a nursery at the government's seed center. But unfortunately it has not been active for the last 5 years. According to Ismail, if the nursery is active, Bontang fishermen will be helped to increase the export value of up to 12 tons. "No need for Bontang, just in East Kalimantan. If there is a grouper nursery, we will be helped to increase grouper exports," he concluded.

Source: https://mediakaltim.com/bontang-baru-mampu-ekspor-1-ton-ikan-kerapu/