Rich Sea, Poor Fishermen

Although it has established itself as a world maritime axis, Indonesia has not wholeheartedly raised fishermen from the poverty line. With the dominance of capture fishermen reaching 95 percent or estimated at 2.2 million people.

Fishermen are indeed a profession that is far from classy. With sunburned dark skin. And the smell is fishy because it has to struggle with fish caught. Unusual working hours, because they have to go to sea for days.

The profession of fishermen is indeed not classy because it is not much in demand by young people today. The profession that was mentioned only escaped because it was not accepted in other work professions. Sad. Because it is reversed with the abundant marine resources.

Indonesia's waters cover an area of ​​up to 5.8 million square kilometers with the second longest stretch of coastline after Canada. But what happened ? The sea and all its wealth are stolen by fish thieves from other countries. No less in the record there are 1,132 foreign ships that sneak up illegal fishing. Even though in reality there are nearly 7,000 foreign ships playing cat cats with Indonesian security forces (source: Tribunnews.com).

Even though the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) assisted by the security apparatus had taken a crackdown on the sinking of foreign ships that were proven to steal. but that hasn't completely made foreign ships deterred. Mischievous acts of foreign ships that commit theft are still rampant.

With a wide area of ​​water, sea guard officers have not been able to fully cover Indonesian waters. The technology owned by Indonesia is also sometimes less sophisticated with foreign ships. Foreign ships can still play cat cats because of the technology they have sometimes on the Indonesian sea guard ship.

Still remember the case of a ship dispute in the Natuna Sea, where the Chinese ship was proven to be in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters. The Indonesian marine guard ship failed to catch a Chinese vessel suspected of theft or unlicensed activities because suddenly a Chinese marine guard ship appeared to be blocking.

This incident was not the first time it happened, several times Chinese-owned vessels were fishing in the Indonesian sea area. But always Chinese ships can get away. Besides China, ships from Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam often enter stealing fish in the Indonesian sea.

Our house is located on the beach side. Only a hundred meters from the beach. My father is a sea man since he was young. Dad doesn't have his own boat. The only boat used is a traditional boat called jukung. On the left and right side there is wood across as a boat balancer.

My father went to sea indeed not alone, there was a friend who always joined. They are both friendly. Departing late in the afternoon and returning to the beach after dawn broke. Even though my father has enough experience to go to sea, he still doesn't affect the catch. Sometimes the catch makes our family's money enough for three days, but not infrequently it is not enough even if we only buy two kilograms of medium quality rice.

Not only our families who live are limited, almost all fishermen live in concern. Indeed there are some fishermen who are able to live on average, they usually have several boats or boats. They will usually turn into collectors caught by fishermen. Of course they have enough money.

My father does not have money, lives right now. Make a living by continuing to go to sea. Pitting their fate in the middle of the sea like a gamble that is not clear about the end result. My father finally changed his life, switching professions by trying to become an elementary school teacher.

Even though at that time the result of being a teacher is not better. Sometimes if it is calculated to lose to the results of a fisherman. Sometimes, my father still goes to sea in his free time. To patch family money that is often not enough.

Fishermen will really languish when the sea is not friendly. Father called it the west wind season. High waves like stirring the sea so that no fishermen dare to go to sea. If so, fishermen must look for other professions in the meantime. Or repair damaged nets and repair boats.

Our unchanging lives made my father ventured to migrate to Jakarta. With the provision of a teacher's diploma he has and the connection of a close family who first became a teacher in Jakarta. Father got a job as an elementary school teacher in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta.

Initially honorary staff, but good luck came to our family. Father was appointed as a civil servant. We also ventured to move to Jakarta. This is the beginning we became citizens of Jakarta. Occupying a rented house in the Kemayoran area which is 3 X 7 meters wide.

My father then saved to buy a piece of land and built it into a small palace with a size of 3 X 9 meters. We also forget about the sea, forgetting the beach which is the back of our boat, forgetting the fish we used to hang in our kitchen.

The profession of fishermen is no longer carried by my father but we will never forget being a fisherman family on the northwest coast of Aceh. A memory that we will never forget.