The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Edhy Prabowo on Wednesday, November 25, 2020.
He was arrested by the KPK at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, after return from a visit to the United States with his families.
Edhy’s arrest was suspected to be related to corruption in the export of lobster seeds.
Last July 2020, Edhy Prabowo’s policy to legalize the export of lobster seeds did indeed reap various pros and cons among the elite.
The former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti, also gave her stern criticism of Edhy’s policies. Since Susi served as Minister of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, she has indeed closed tightly on the export of lobster seeds.
Because, she considered that this could actually harm the state, society, and fishermen.
Susi Pudjiastuti is known to have strongly opposed Edhy Prabowo’s decision to export lobster seeds. She even had time to express her opinion in a short video uploaded to her personal Instagram account, @ susipudjiasuti115.
In a video posted on December 10, 2019 yesterday, Susi talked about lobsters while eating seafood in her hometown, Pangandaran.
She said that lobsters, which are a resource with high economic value, should not be extinct.
According to her, the lobster that is cultivated when sold will be more expensive. She said that a lobster measuring 400 grams to 500 grams can be priced at IDR 600 thousand to IDR 800 thousand.
However, if the seeds are sold, they are usually only priced at IDR 30 thousand. And of course, it gives losses to fishermen.
Therefore, Susi reminded the fishermen to keep the lobster seeds growing naturally in the ocean. According to him, many parties will get a lot of losses if they continue to legalize the export of lobster seeds.
Susi’s statement has emphasized that the opening of export lobster seeds has the potential to kill Indonesia’s marine catchment industry, whose profits can reach hundreds of trillions of rupiah.
Through her tweet on Twitter, Susi Pudjiastuti also discussed and criticized the lobster seed export policy several times.
“I am just an ordinary person who does not want the lobster seeds to be exported,” wrote Susi in her Twitter tweet on Tuesday, July 7, 2020.
Furthermore, Susi explained that lobster enlargement in the sea is a better natural habitat. Because there is an opportunity for lobsters to breed.
Susi admitted, now the fishermen can raise lobsters by spawning. It’s just that, the success rate is still low.
The size of the seeds which are still small and known as germplasm should be protected by the state from damage, exploitation, trade, and others.
Previously, the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Edhy Prabowo, said that his party had conducted an in-depth study of the issue of lobster seed export.
He said the reason the KKP allowed the export of lobster seeds was to help tens of thousands of small fishermen who had lost their livelihoods due to the issuance of Government Regulation (Permen) KP 56/2016. The regulation prohibits the taking of lobster seeds, both for sale and cultivation.
Edhy also denied the opinion that Permen KP No.12 of 2020 which regulates lobster seed exports is inclined towards corporate interests.
