Mangrove forests are one of the three important ecosystems in coastal areas besides coral reefs and seagrasses. It is undeniable that mangrove forests play an important role in supporting coastal life both in terms of ecological and economic aspects of the people who live around them. One of the biota associated with mangrove ecosystems is shrimp and is one of the main types of catch for people living around mangrove forest areas.

Shrimp is one of the world's favorite fishery commodities so it is no wonder that the price is very tempting for various parties to get it. Shrimp can be obtained from cultivation and natural catch. Along with the increasing demand of the global market, it is undeniable that the capture of shrimp from nature can provide a serious threat to the availability of shrimp resources in nature.

Konda district in South Sorong is one of the areas blessed with dense mangrove forests and is one of the locations of daily fisheries data collection conducted by WWF-Indonesia as an implementing partner of the USAID Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced (USAID SEA) Project. Almost all Konda residents are shrimp fishermen. The fishing gear used is a layered net or often called a Trammel Net. There are 8 shrimp collectors and 121 shrimp fishing fleets that have been recorded during the daily fisheries data collection activities carried out in Konda.

Like many residents of Konda, South Sorong Regency, West Papua Province, Peter Irio also depends on the shrimp resources located around the mangrove forest area. Every morning around 05.00 Peter is ready to split the river surrounded by mangrove forests using a wooden boat with a 15 PK outboard engine to go to the fishing ground to spread nets in the hope of getting a large catch of banana shrimp (Penaeus merguensis).

"Every day around 05.00 I leave and return erratically, sometimes in the afternoon and sometimes in the evening, depending on the shrimp catch," explained Peter. Peter and other Konda fishermen's favorite fishing grounds are Warongge, Seremuk, and Seneboi. However, if the catch starts to decline, Peter and other fishermen will look for other locations further away such as Inanwatan, Isogo, Klabra, and Kelapa Dua.

According to Peter, compared to the 90s, shrimp catches are currently decreasing due to higher competition for fishing activities. "Right now at most I can only get about 20 kg at most one fishing trip and even then if the shrimp season is playing, if it's not the season at most only about 5 kg, very different compared to the 90s," said Peter.