Indonesia expands lobster aquaculture to boost food security

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to develop its lobster aquaculture sector to bolster food security and regional economic growth. The National Food Agency (Bapanas) and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) are working to optimize the use of local resources, particularly in regions like Lombok Timur, which has become a significant center for lobster farming with over 1,500 cultivators.

To structure the industry, the KKP has implemented Ministerial Regulation Number 5 of 2026. This regulation segments lobster farming into three distinct stages: nursing (pendederan) for seeds up to 5 grams, first grow-out (pembesaran pertama) from 5 to 50 grams, and second grow-out (pembesaran kedua) for consumption-sized lobsters. This segmentation aims to allow businesses to participate in the production chain based on their specific capacities and opens opportunities for international export of lobsters weighing at least 50 grams.

Despite the potential, stakeholders have identified several challenges that require an integrated ecosystem approach. These include difficulties in accessing capital, high-quality seeds, feed, and floating net cage (KJA) infrastructure, as well as price fluctuations and limited storage facilities. Legislators from Commission IV of the DPR RI are currently reviewing these issues to formulate policy recommendations for national lobster aquaculture acceleration.