Seaweed is seasick

Fri, 02/27/2009 2:49 PM  |  Bali

Nyoman Sani (pictured), 40, a seaweed farmer from Nusa Lembongan Island, Klungkung regency, shows off a handful of seaweed Saturday infected by a disease locally known as ais ais.

The attack, which occurs annually between January and May, is currently causing a huge decline in seaweed production in the Nusa Penida islets, which comprise Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida.

Sani said she usually harvest a total of 1 ton of seaweed each month, earning Rp 1 million (US$83.89) in the process.

"But now I can only get around 300 kilograms a month," she said.

The farmers are helpless in trying to figure out ways to eliminate the annual disease, with many taking on second jobs to supplement their incomes, including cultivating other crops such as cassava or working in hotels. Most of the islanders are seaweed farmers.

Tika Wiguna, another farmer, said she had turned to selling clothes and souvenirs during the hard times.

Gusti Udayasa, a field officer with the Klungkung Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Agency, said his office could only suggest that farmers discard the infected seaweed immediately to prevent the disease from spreading.

- JP/Indah Setiawati

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