Bekasi Coastal Waters Polluted, Fishermen's Livelihoods Increasingly Threatened

The lives of fishermen in the coastal areas of Bekasi Regency, West Java, Indonesia, are increasingly threatened by severe pollution stemming from industrial activities. Abdul Rahman, a fisherman from Pantai Harapanjaya, has experienced a significant decline in his catch since 2017. What was once a livelihood source from the sea near the shore now requires him to travel up to 4 kilometers offshore due to pollution from industrial operations. Even after fishing for 16 hours, Rahman can only catch about one kilogram of shrimp, which fetches only around Rp30,000. The Pantai Harapanjaya Fishermen Group suspects that the pollution originates from coal waste from the Babelan Coal-Fired Power Plant (PLTU Babelan), managed by PT Cikarang Listrindo Tbk. There are also indications that the process of moving coal, with spillage along the coast, is endangering the environment and fish habitats. "This is not normal, 30 meters of shrimp traps only yield one kilogram," Rahman said last April. "At best, the price is only Rp30,000." Fishermen had previously protested due to piled-up materials and the activities of cargo barges causing their boats to run aground. Although the company eventually submerged the pipeline, sedimentation has already occurred, threatening the coastal ecosystem. While Bekasi Regency serves as an industrial buffer zone for Jakarta, its northern coastal areas, particularly in Muara Gembong District, present a stark contrast, appearing somewhat isolated. Despite this, the region holds significant potential for marine resources, including milkfish, mackerel, barramundi, mullet, squid, threadfin (Eleutheronema tetradactylum), various types of shrimp, and crabs, including mud crabs. Nayu Kulsum, Head of the Bekasi Regency Fisheries Agency, acknowledged that the agency often finds itself in a dilemmatic situation when faced with direct complaints from the community. Beyond pollution, one of the most worrying impacts of this situation is the threat to the regeneration of fishermen in the future. Of the 260 existing fishermen, the majority are over 40 years old, highlighting a critical shortage of younger successors.