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ishermen in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have suffered a major decline in income not only because of declining catches but also as a result of falling prices because of disruption to distribution networks caused by the COVID-19 emergency, a survey has found.

According to the survey by Perkumpulan Pikul (picul organization), a local NGO, artisanal fisheries and fishers in NTT could be facing revenue loss of up to to Rp 2 trillion (US$133.8 million) this year.

The survey also found that the declining trend in fish production and prices have severely affected the livelihoods of about 66,525 fishing households comprising 226,526 people.

“These figures reflect COVID-19’s [economic] impact on fishermen and small-scale fisheries in mid-April,” Perkumpulan Pikul program manager Andry Ratumakin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Andry said that fish production in the province had fallen sharply in recent months because of rough seas, and estimated that overall fish production would decline 50 percent this year to 78,845 tons from about 157,691 tons in 2019.

Despite the fall in production, however, the province would still enjoy a surplus, because its 5.4 million population was projected to consume 12,860 tons of fish per annum, he said.

“NTT still has a surplus of 65,985 tons of fish. The problem is how we distribute it amid the movement restrictions for COVID-19,” Andry said, with distribution disruption causing a fall of 50 to 75 percent in the price of fish.

To maintain their purchasing power and to ensure that they can obtain high-protein foods, the NGO has urged the government to provide relief aid for local fishermen affected by distribution disruption.

The organization also urged the government to help connect fish producers with buyers by reopening markets with the appropriate health protocol while calling on civil servants to purchase fish and fishery products.

“The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry could also purchase fishery products and distribute them to [consumers] and purchase other products made by local producers to keep the rural economy’s engine running,” Andry said.

To cushion the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on low-income families, the provincial administration has allocated Rp 957 billion from the central government’s village funds program, said the NTT Development Planning and Research Agency head, Lecky Koli.

“Out of the Rp 3 trillion in village funds allocated to our province, we are using Rp 957 billion to help low-income residents affected by COVID-19,” he said.

The funds would be disbursed as monthly cash aid of Rp 600,000 for three consecutive months to low-income
families who were not recipients of other social security programs, such as the Family Hope Program and noncash food aid, Lecky added.

“We are aiming to provide an income for unregistered poor people who have lost their [livelihoods] due to COVID-19, and those who are terminally ill,” he said. (mpr)