Cage fish culture stops in Tabalong due to river shallows

Dozens of fish cages in Banyu Tajun Village, Tabalong, were forced to be emptied because the river water was shallower. (Antaranews Kalsel/ Herlina Lasmianti)

Since the dry season, we stopped the cage fish business while waiting for deep river water,

Tanjung, S Kalimantan (Antaranews Kalsel) - Tens of cage fish farmers in Banyu Tajun Village, Tabalong, South Kalimantan, are forced to stop their business because the river water is shallower.

One owner of the cage, Arpani (45) in Tanjung, said Thursday that it had been three months since he emptied his cages.

"Since the dry season, we stopped the cage fish business while waiting for deep river water," he said.

Arpani himself has 10 cages and usually produces up to 6,000 kilograms of goldfish in every harvest.

With a selling price of Rp23,000 per kilogram, his fish production is marketed till East Kalimantan.

However, due to the shallow water of Pimping River, he stopped the cultivation of goldfish, including dozens of other cage owners.

At present cage fish farmers are turning into rubber farmers or sap tapping laborers to meet family needs.

The Head of the Production Section and Cultivation Business of the Tabalong Fisheries Agency Rahmani said in the last three months the cage fish production had dropped from 4,708 tons to 4,283 tons.

"Production of cage fish until September 2018 is predicted to fall to below 4,000 tons," he explained.

Rahmani said that almost 37 percent of cage cultivation was concentrated in the center of fish in Banua Lawas Subdistrict and the total business of cages in Tabalong is 3,851.