As one of the world’s largest archipelagic nations, Indonesia holds significant potential in the fisheries sector, particularly in lobster aquaculture. A highly valuable life stage of the lobster is the puerulus, or juvenile lobster, which has just metamorphosed from its larval form.
This resource could potentially position Indonesia as a global center for lobster farming.
However, climate change and habitat degradation have complicated the sustainable conservation of this species.
Rising sea temperatures, coral reef damage, and declining coastal ecosystem quality threaten the natural life cycle of lobsters, especially the availability of puerulus in the wild.
Without ecologically and community-based interventions, the chance of recovering wild lobster populations will continue to diminish.
At the same time, fluctuating policies, weak law enforcement, and rampant smuggling practices hinder this potential.
Over the past decade, the Indonesian government has implemented five different policies related to puerulus management.
The export ban enacted in 2015 had a noble goal: to promote domestic lobster aquaculture and protect wild populations.
Unfortunately, this good intention was not supported by adequate infrastructure, technology, and institutional capacity.
As a result, the policy led to unintended consequences, such as a surge in lobster seed smuggling abroad.
Data show that the state’s losses due to this smuggling could exceed IDR 1 trillion per year, indicating the magnitude of the problem.
These findings were published in the Q1 journal Marine Policy in August 2024 under the title “Caught in the Net: Unravelling Policy Challenges and Smuggling Dynamics in Indonesia’s Puerulus Exploitation.”
This interdisciplinary and inter-institutional study involved collaboration among researchers in fisheries science, economics, and law from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Lampung University, and the Turku School of Economics in Finland.
It maps out the complex dynamics of puerulus management using in-depth interviews with fishers, collectors, and export company representatives, along with court verdict data.
The study reveals that smuggling became more rampant during the enforcement of the export ban.
Perpetrators exploited legal loopholes, weak surveillance, and long-established international trade networks.
In some cases, lobster seeds were smuggled in airline passenger luggage disguised as personal items to avoid inspection.
Professor of socio-economics in fisheries and marine affairs at UGM’s Faculty of Agriculture and one of the study’s lead researchers, Suadi, stated that a ban without supporting strategies only worsens the problem.
He emphasized that the government must not only act as a regulator but also as a facilitator, helping fishers shift from wild capture to sustainable aquaculture.
“If the government merely bans exports without preparing support systems, such as aquaculture development, feed technology, and economic incentives for fishers, then the policy is nothing more than a paper formality,” he said on Friday (Apr. 25, 2025).
Fact shows that when export regulations were temporarily relaxed in 2020, smuggling cases dropped significantly.
This suggests that easing restrictions could be an effective way to curb illegal practices, provided it is accompanied by strict oversight and transparent distribution systems.
The involvement of local dealers and foreign buyers remains a major challenge, especially given the far more attractive black market prices.
The brief policy relaxation also demonstrated that market players can adapt quickly when given legal room to operate.
The research also reinforces that fishers are the most affected by inconsistent policies.
Often caught between legal constraints and economic necessity, they are usually part of a patron-client system, an unequal power dynamic common in coastal communities.
In such systems, fishers act mainly as suppliers without the power to set prices, while collectors and exporters dominate the value chain, including smuggling operations.
“This imbalance traps fishers in poverty, even though the commodity they harvest is highly valuable in the global market,” Professor Suadi explained.
This situation highlights that top-down policies alone are not enough.
A participatory approach that involves local actors as active stakeholders, not mere policy objects, is essential.
Building fisher capacity, providing incentives for aquaculture practitioners, and integrating monitoring and logistics systems are crucial for sustainable puerulus management.
Without these, existing policies will only perpetuate a cycle of bans and violations without long-term solutions.
“The government must also forge strong partnerships with universities and the private sector to develop aquaculture research and technology,” Professor Suadi asserted.
As a follow-up to the study, Professor Suadi and his research team developed a Policy Brief on the Management of Lobster Catch and Puerulus, which emphasizes a system-based approach incorporating natural systems, human systems, and governance structures.
The brief recommends establishing participatory institutions, improving catch data reporting, applying stock enhancement through the cultivation of ‘jarong’ juvenile lobsters, and encouraging community-involved local nurseries.
A key message from the brief is that successful lobster management can only be achieved through cross-sector collaboration among central and regional governments, academics, and coastal communities.
“With a comprehensive understanding of both ecological and social dynamics, policy can aim not just for biological neutrality but also for economic justice,” Professor Suadi concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Illustration: Radar Madiun