KSBM from Kalomo Biak sent 15.8 tons of fresh fish to Java

The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) stated that as many as 15.8 tons of fresh fish from the Modern Fishing Village (Kalomo) in the Samber and Binyeri villages of Yendidori District, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua Province, were again sent to the Java Island market.

"The Modern Fishing Village, or Kalamo, in Samber Binyeri Village, Biak [Numfor Regency], Papua has proven successful in driving the local economy and industry. For the third time, as many as 15.8 tons of fresh fish caught by local fishermen have been sold to Java Island," said KKP Capture Fisheries Director-General Lotharia Latif in a statement in Jakarta on Jan. 27, 2025.

He said that the shipment of fish was carried out by the Samber Binyeri Maju Cooperative (KSBM), which manages Kalamo Biak as an effort to drive the local people's economic conditions and expand market access for fishery products.

"The KSBM is proof of the success of the cooperative-based approach in improving the welfare of fishermen, and we hope that this cooperative will continue to grow as a people's business entity that empowers fishermen," said Lotharia.

Lotharia divulged that 13.5 tons of fresh fish from the Kalomo in Samber and Binyeri villages had been delivered to Semarang City, Central Java Province by KSBM in the first week of December 2024. He added that the success of the shipment was inseparable from the support of the Biak Numfor Regency Marine and Fisheries Office and PT Perikanan Nusantara Jaya, which had worked hard to ensure smooth operations from preparation to distribution of KSBM's catches.

Meanwhile, Biak Numfor Regency Marine and Fisheries Office Head Effendi Igirisa explained that the strategic location of Biak Numfor Regency in the Pacific Ocean waters provides advantages for the development of the tuna fisheries industry in Eastern Indonesia.

He noted that the shipments made included various types of lucrative fishes such as tuna, skipjack tuna, marlin, and Pacific reef fishes. The shipments were packaged using cold chain technology to ensure freshness and quality until they reached their destination, with operational support from the Biak Numfor Regency Fisheries Service and PT Perikanan Nusantara Jaya.

"The Kalamo facility built by the KKP has made a real contribution to small-scale fishermen, and this third phase of fish shipments shows the ability of local fishermen to supply domestic market needs," explained Effendi.

Meanwhile, KSBM Chair Adam Mampioper assessed that the needs of fishermen's businesses and their families can be met by cooperative business units. Therefore, he encouraged the local community to join as cooperative members and support all KSBM business activities.

Previously, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, said that the success of Kalamo Biak marked a step forward in efforts to encourage the self-reliance of local fishermen through cooperatives and professional management. The Kalamo is also expected to become a model for a modern fishermen cooperative that is highly competitive at both the national and international scale.