Tambakrejo Fishing Village: Protecting the Sea and Local Economy through Green Mussel Fish Aid Cultivation

Tambakrejo Fisherman Village, a traditional fishing community on the coast of Semarang, has been facing eviction since 2019 due to a development project. The government offers temporary housing on the land of the River Basin Center with a 5-10 year loan system, while the alternative flats are 20 km from the sea, distancing fishermen from the sea, their source of livelihood.

In 2029, the temporary housing of the row houses they currently occupy must be vacated. On the other hand, the mangrove ecosystem that supports the lives of fishermen is also increasingly disturbed by the eastern flood canal normalization project. To maintain their livelihoods and economic independence, this community is developing green mussel fish aggregating devices (FADs) and coastal ecotourism with the support of the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding. 

A total of 2.500 bamboos were staked into green mussel fish aggregating devices (FADs) in an area of ​​0,14 hectares. This cultivation aims to improve the livelihoods of fishermen while supporting the sustainability of the marine ecosystem, because each bamboo FAD becomes a gathering and breeding ground for fish and other marine biota. FADs can be harvested twice a year. The first harvest in September 2024 produced 4 quintals of green mussels worth IDR 2 million. The Nusantara Cooperative formed by the community deliberately limits the harvest so that the quality of the green mussels is maintained. 

In addition, the community developed coastal ecotourism that includes fishing tourism as well as river and sea tours - utilizing the geographical conditions of the Tambakrejo Fisherman's Village which is located on the banks and estuary of the river. To support business operations, they agreed to build fishing huts and bridges over fish aggregating devices (FADs) and buy boats and fishing equipment. This ecotourism is not only a new source of income for the community, but also opens up opportunities for Tambakrejo fishermen to introduce visitors more closely to the culture, life, and struggles of Tambakrejo fishermen.

To maintain business sustainability and regenerate organizational cadres, they also established Rumpon Nusantara, as a center for education and training in business management and marine conservation. In a series of initial training sessions, community members were introduced to the concept of transparent organizational management, business planning, and business sustainability strategies.

This training became the forerunner to the birth of the Tambakrejo Sejahtera Fishermen's Village Cooperative as an official umbrella for collective business management. The initial training conducted ensured that each member had an adequate understanding of business management and could actively contribute to every cooperative decision. 

The Nusantara Cooperative of Tambakrejo Sejahtera Fishermen's Village is now responsible for managing the ecotourism of fish aggregating devices (FADs) and sea/river exploration. The benefits of this ecotourism have spread to all corners of the village, six communities other than Tambakrejo Fishermen's Village are also involved. This means that it is not only an alternative additional income for fishermen but also opens up new jobs in the tourism sector.