In 2023, mud crab commodities from Maluku Province have successfully penetrated the ASEAN market, with their export volume experiencing a significant year-on-year increase of approximately 79.56% compared to 2022. Head of the Fish Quarantine and Quality Control Institute (BKIPM) in Ambon, Hatta Arisandi, revealed that 1.7 tons of mud crabs from Maluku were exported to Singapore in August 2023. Hatta explained that the exported crabs met the standards set by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation No. 16 of 2022, particularly in Article 8, Paragraph (1), regarding the capture, transit, and/or release of mud crabs. He cited an example where in June 2023, BKIPM Ambon released 1,070 mud crabs weighing a total of 380 kilograms with a value of IDR 49,400,000 in the Waiheru mangrove area in Kota Ambon due to non-compliance with regulations.
He further emphasized that before exporting, the mud crabs underwent a quality assurance process conducted by the Fish Quarantine Institute, including size inspections to ensure they met the allowable standards. Mud crabs that didn't meet the legal standards would be released and serve as a resource for the local community in the release area. Hatta mentioned that the successful penetration of Maluku's mud crab exports into the ASEAN market has increased the value of the province's fisheries exports. According to BKIPM Ambon data, the value of Maluku's fisheries exports in the first half of 2023 reached USD 34.5 million, marking an impressive 79.56% year-on-year increase compared to 2022, further illustrating the growth of this industry.
