JAKARTA: The government has permanently banned exports of lobster larvae and established a task force to crack down on smuggling, seeking to develop a domestic lobster farming industry and capture more economic value from the country’s marine resources.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said on Monday that the export ban would remain in place, with the government instead seeking to develop domestic lobster cultivation before exporting the mature product.
The ban is stipulated in Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministerial Regulation No 5/2026, amending the 2024 regulation, and reinforced by Presidential Regulation No 69/2026, which established a task force to combat illegal lobster larvae exports.
“The task force is an effort to establish sound lobster management in Indonesia to build a competitive national lobster farming industry and improve the welfare of local fishers,” Trenggono said at the task force’s launch in Jakarta on Monday.
He said law enforcement would be the task force’s main priority in stopping illegal shipments, while discussions on cooperation with other countries could follow once domestic enforcement had been addressed.
Coordinating Political and Security Minister Dudung Abdurachman, who chairs the task force’s steering committee, said the task force priorities include strengthening the organsation and field command structure, dismantling smuggling networks, as well as improving prevention and sustainable management.
“The task force provides a foundation for integrated and coordinated law enforcement. It brings together resources, information and enforcement measures,” Dudung said. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
