Lombok fishers use mangrove reforestation to improve crab fishery and food security

On the east coast of Lombok, local fishers are implementing a silvofishery system, integrating mangrove forests with aquaculture, to restore crab habitats and enhance food security. This initiative, driven by declining crab populations due to overfishing, involves raising mud crabs to adulthood alongside newly planted mangroves, which yields higher prices and promotes sustainability. Jamil, a 63-year-old fisher from Sugian village, notes that crabs thrive in the muddy, sheltered conditions provided by mangroves. This approach addresses the environmental dilemma of supporting livelihoods from aquaculture, a major driver of mangrove deforestation, while sustaining coastal ecosystems. While silvofishery shows promise for mud crab cultivation, local officials highlight a lack of technical training, leading farmers to learn through trial and error. Nurrahman, a fish farmer in Sugian, emphasizes the need for guidance to reduce the high risk of failure. The transfer of authority over coastal waters from district to provincial governments in 2014 has also contributed to this challenge, leaving farmers like Jamil to rely on their own experimentation.