IFRDMD conducts a survey of anguillid eels in Bengkulu and Lampung

IFRDMD dispatched ten officers to carry out an anguillid eel survey on 1-6 December 2021. The survey was conducted in two provinces, Bengkulu and Lampung. In this study, the team was concerned about knowing the anguillid eel stock and gender issues. To reach the objectives, the team was divided into two groups. The first group focused on stock, eel catch data, and water quality. The second group had a task to describe the gender issue by interviewing the stakeholders, the women’s roles, and the market chain of anguillid eels.

The first group conducted the activity in Jenggalu River and Kungkai River using acoustic equipment by applying two methods. The first method was the target strength survey of eels to measure the response of eels to acoustic instruments. At the same time, the second method was an acoustic survey on the rivers with a combination of the zig-zag track with down looking transducer and a straight track with a side-looking transducer. The observation was done in the morning to noon and in the night. While doing the acoustic record, the team also measured the water quality and the eels.

The second group held a focus group discussion to know the problems in anguillid eel activity. The team also promoted the importance of eel as food for kids because of the high nutrition content. The team also wanted to understand the allocation work between men and women; the group organized a gender issues meeting.

The team had a chance to visit and interview the fisher communities to get the information of the anguillid eels market chain and to grasp their awareness of anguillid eel sustainability. In Bengkulu and Lampung, the fishers are concerned about growing up the yellow eels to be the consumption size and selling them in the local market. The fishers do not capture the glass eels because the fishers hope to sustain the population of anguillid eels in the waters.