By: Windy Rizki (Capture Fisheries Officer, WWF Indonesia)

Mud crab is one of the leading commodities that has high economic value. This commodity is widely found in North Sulawesi, especially the Bunaken National Park area. Judging from the high economic value, the utilization of mangrove crabs must be accompanied by good management so that the sustainability and business utilization of mangrove crabs can be guaranteed.

Forum Masyarakat Peduli Taman Nasional Bunaken (FMP TNB), accompanied by WWF-Indonesia, conducted a consultation on mangrove crab management or better known as the Mangrove Crab Fishery Management Plan (RPP). This consultation was conducted in the Bunaken National Park area. In addition, WWF-Indonesia also held a training on Harvest Control Rules (HCR) which discussed the rules of capture and utilization for mangrove crab commodities.

The HCR training, followed by a discussion on the draft FMP, was conducted at Samratulangi University in Manado. Participants of the training came from academia as well as local NGOs. The HCR training began with a pretest and ended with a post-test to see how far the participants understood the material presented. The HCR method will then be incorporated into the draft Bunaken National Park Mangrove Crab RPP to measure the utilization that can be done.

The draft RPP is prepared based on input from various groups, so that all aspects can be fulfilled. UNSRAT academics will help with the scientific side such as re-identification of mangrove crab species in Bunaken National Park and data analysis. While the NGO will help by becoming a facilitator, so that this RPP can be applied in the Bunaken National Park area.

The activity is also a follow-up to the sustainable fisheries management efforts that have previously been carried out in the JARING Nusantara scheme with the TNB FMP. Data on historical catch or a series of data on historical fisheries utilization obtained from interviews with experienced fishermen in the field of Mangrove Crab fishing will also be included in the Mangrove Crab FMP that has been made. During the HCR training, WWF Indonesia managed to collect data on historical catch in Mantehage Island and Popareng area. The municipal and provincial government or Marine Fisheries Office (DKP) agreed with the existence of the Mud Crab FMP in the Bunaken National Park area and is willing to help realize its implementation there.

DKP North Sulawesi Province is ready to support with the allocation of funds, especially related to funds for mangrove crab fishermen capital. While DKP Kota is ready to support technical needs such as field counseling and so on. With this activity, it is expected that the Mud Crab RPP can be accepted and implemented in Bunaken National Park, so that this high-value commodity can be preserved and its sustainability.