RRI.CO.ID, Lebak - A plentiful supply of large pelagic fish in the Indian Ocean continues to drive the economy of the southern coast of Lebak Regency, Banten. With flagship commodities such as tuna weighing up to 60 kilograms reaching export markets, the value of fish auction transactions in the area is recorded at IDR 96 billion (USD 5.36 million) per year.

Head of the Lebak Regency Fisheries Agency, Winda, said the abundance of large pelagic fish in southern Banten waters is a key commodity sustaining the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen. The commodity also plays an important role in driving the local fisheries business chain.

“The types of fish most commonly caught include tuna, skipjack tuna, cutlassfish, Spanish mackerel, marlin, wahoo, sardines, barracuda, and tongkol,” she said on Friday, July 25, 2026.

For tuna, individual fish can weigh around 60 kilograms, with selling prices ranging from IDR 40,000 (USD 2.23) to IDR 120,000 (USD 6.69) per kilogram, depending on the type and quality of the catch.

Winda explained that part of the catch is marketed through companies that export fishery products from Jakarta, while the rest is used as raw material for local processing industries. This pattern creates a value chain that benefits a wider range of economic actors, from fishermen and traders to processors and distributors.

“We believe that large pelagic fish production can improve the economic income of coastal communities,” she said, as quoted by Antara.

She added that fisheries activity in Lebak Regency has also encouraged the growth of hundreds of micro, small, and medium enterprises based on marine products. The processed products include shredded fish, crackers, fish balls, salted fish, pindang, fish cakes, jerky, beef rendang, and a variety of fish-based snacks.

According to Winda, the development of the processing industry strengthens the added value of fishery commodities while also expanding business opportunities and employment in coastal areas.

Based on reports from the Fish Auction Site, the transaction value of auctioned catches reaches around IDR 8 billion (USD 446,378) per month, or about IDR 96 billion (USD 5,356,545) per year, with the largest contribution coming from large pelagic fish.

At present, there are 3,635 fishermen operating along the southern coast of Lebak Regency, with total catches ranging from 6,000 to 7,500 tons per year. This production is one of the pillars of the coastal economy and also supplies raw materials for the fisheries processing and trading industries.

A fish-processing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) entrepreneur in Binuangeun Subdistrict, Bedah, 45, said her business produces shredded fish that is sold as raw material to companies in Jakarta and Tangerang at a price of IDR 150,000 (USD 8.37) per kilogram.

In one month, her business can supply up to 500 kilograms of shredded fish, generating a turnover of around IDR 75 million (USD 4,184.80). The product is later packaged and marketed by business partners under the MSME brand Bu Bedah after meeting licensing and labeling requirements.

She said her shredded fish has a shelf life of up to eight months without preservatives, with a savory taste and protein content that remains intact, making it competitive in the market.

“We supply around 500 kilograms of shredded fish per month at IDR 150,000 per kilogram, so the turnover reaches around IDR 75 million every month,” she said.

Meanwhile, Rohman, 55, a fisherman at the Binuangeun Fish Landing Center (PPI), said the presence of large pelagic fish stocks in southern Banten waters provides business certainty. The catch is considered sufficient to provide stable income to support family needs.

According to him, during one fishing trip lasting around a week, fishermen can earn a net income of around IDR 1.8 million (USD 100.44) after operational costs are deducted. “The presence of large pelagic fish in southern Banten waters greatly helps the fishermen’s economy because the catch still provides income for their families,” he said. ***