Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - Every morning a group of fishermen gather at the mouth of Anjir River near Proboscis Monkey Research Station on Curiak Island, Barito Kuala District, South Kalimantan.
They bring their catch to sell to buyers mostly collectors, who then sell it to the market. Just like a floating market, they transact on boats.
Fishermen mostly fish from night to dawn. Sunrise marks the end of traditional fishing activities in the coastal area of vast Barito River.
Barito River is home to various local freshwater fish, including baung, lundu, baga-baga, lais, pangasius (patin), jelawat, seluang, tilapia, puyau, sili-sili, handungan and senggiringan.
However, the most sought-after by them is giant freshwater prawn (macrobrachium rosenbergii). It has large size, reaching 30 cm in length, and large claws.
The giant river prawn, which is a commercially important species of palaemonid freshwater prawn, is a major attraction for fishermen.
Kaspan Anwari (54), familiarly called Ipan, Marabahan Baru Village resident is one of the fishermen who actively catch fish in Curiak Island area. He said this is a breeding ground for abundant fish and shrimp.
This situation emerged after the Sahabat Bekantan Indonesia (SBI) Foundation initiated bekantan or proboscis monkey conservation efforts on Curiak Island since 2015.
Ipan, who frequently encoutered bekantan in the island, which was then became Bekantan Research Station, later joined SBI as a volunteer and tour guide for tourists visiting Curiak Island, without abandoning his livelihood as a fisherman.
Rapi, other fisherman from Anjir Muara 1 Village, expressed his delight at abundant catch of both giant river prawn and fresh water fish after the reforestation of Curiak Island with rambai mangrove trees.
The giant river prawn catch becomes a primary source of income besides tidal rice farming for local people.
SBI's commitment to protecting and increasing the proboscis monkey population from the threat of extinction outside the Curiak Island conservation area has had a significant impact on the lives of the surrounding communities.
Nine villages in Anjir Muara Sub-district have been positively impacted by the progress of the bekantan conservation on Curiak.
Read also: Some 20 Japanese, Hong Kong tourists visit Curiak Island
