“As many as 160 kg of eels (Anguilla Sp.) have been released to rivers across Yogyakarta,” said Ir. Sukardi, M.P., lecturer of Fisheries Department of UGM in a release received on Thursday (12/4).
Sukardi said the release was part of the efforts to maintain and enrich the eel population because of the decreasing population so far.
Sukardi said the decrease of population was caused by several factors, such as intensive catch, reduced quality of habitat, and numerous dams which were the migration route of the eels.
“Until today eels have not been bred yet, so we depend on nature for its sustainability,” he said.
This problem made the Fisheries Department to cooperate with PT. Iroha Sidat Indonesia and release eels from 9-10 April 2018 to rivers in Bantul and Kulon Progo regencies. There were four locations in Bantul, including Blawong, Puton, Bendo, and Tegal dams. In Kulon Progo, the locations were Progo River in Salamrejo village, Jelok Sentolo dam, and Serang River in the villages of Clereng and Secang.
“The event this time is actually the third year in a row which we run,” he said,
Sukardi expected the eels would not be caught first by the local people to give an opportunity for the eel to become mothers and produce many offsprings.
During the event, Director of PT. Iroha Sidat indonesia, J. Soetanto, and Ir. Sukardi, M.P. symbolically handed over the eel to the local people and together they released the fish to the water.
J. Soetanto said his office would increase collaboration with UGM and others to sustain the eel. This was the commitment of the company to conserve biodiversities, especially eels.