PT Cassanatama Naturindo, based in Semarang, Central Java, began its efforts to produce environmentally friendly shrimp crackers in 2017. The company has also partnered with a local fishermen’s group; the fishermen serve as the company’s suppliers, providing shrimp caught using environmentally friendly fishing gear. Registered as a member of Seafood Savers since 2016, PT Cassanatama Naturindo, together with WWF-Indonesia, has been assisting fishermen in keeping catch logs.
This effort is aimed at collecting catch data needed to support the management of shrimp resources in Central Java. There are five fisher groups partnering with PT Cassanatama Naturindo, each located in Demak Regency, Central Java. WWF-Indonesia also helps inspect the fishing gear used by the fishermen to ensure that shrimp are caught using sustainable and non-destructive methods.
After confirming that the fishermen were using three-layer trammel nets and trap nets (pots), PT Cassanatama Naturindo collaborated with academics to gather information on the status of shrimp resources in Demak. WWF Indonesia fully supports this collaboration as one of the first steps toward obtaining Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, given that achieving certification requires a commitment that
MSC certification is based on three principles—the status of target fish stocks, the environmental impact of fishing activities, and effective fisheries management—as well as 28 assessment indicators that companies must meet. This requires compliance and cooperation from all stakeholders in Central Java, all the way up to the national level, to pave the way for PT Cassanatama Naturindo to achieve MSC certification. These efforts toward MSC certification have also received strong support from PT Cassanatama Naturindo’s buyers. This support is a significant advantage, as the market is actively involved in the process. It is hoped that this market support will accelerate the process of obtaining MSC certification. With this ecolabel certification, the reputation of fishery products from Central Java—particularly shrimp crackers—will be elevated in the global market, thereby improving the well-being of fishing communities.
To assess the status of the shrimp fishery in Demak in meeting MSC certification standards, PT Cassanatama Naturindo—with the support of its buyers—partnered with Peterson Control Union, acting as the Conformity Assessment Body (CAB), to conduct an initial MSC assessment of its fishermen in Demak. The MSC preliminary assessment, which began on June 10, 2020, and is still ongoing, aims to identify the gaps between current shrimp fishing practices in the field and MSC standards. Currently, the preliminary assessment process is still in the stage of collecting the necessary data and information in accordance with the 28 assessment indicators outlined by the MSC.
This initial assessment will involve stakeholders such as the Central Java Provincial Government, the Central Government, and academics to confirm the validity of the information obtained and to gather feedback from these stakeholders. It is hoped that the information on gaps identified in the MSC’s initial assessment can serve as a framework for improving the shrimp fishery and pave the way for initiating gradual steps toward environmentally friendly and sustainable shrimp crackers in Central Java.