As part of the Decade Achievements of IFRDMD: Workshop on Best Practices in Inland Fisheries Management to Optimize Well-being, held from October 23-24, 2024, participants embarked on a field trip to Swamp Fisheries Installation of Patra Tani in Muara Enim, South Sumatra, on October 24. The installation establishment was initiated by the Research Institute for Inland Fisheries and the Extension of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, which collaborated with SEAFDEC/IFRDMD.
Located approximately an hour from Palembang, this site is a pilot project for sustainable fisheries management in wetland areas. It features an innovative program known as SPEECTRA, which aims to optimize swamp fisheries’ productivity and ecological balance. Participants toured the facility’s fish hatchery ponds, which support the enhancement of fish populations in the swamp ecosystem surrounding it.
The participants also participated in a fish release ceremony, reintroducing young fish into the local waters to bolster natural stocks. Additionally, a tree-planting activity was organized to contribute to the area’s ecological restoration efforts and reinforce the significance of green spaces in sustaining healthy wetland ecosystems.
This field visit to Patra Tani provides participants with hands-on experience in best practices for wetland fisheries management to gain insights into practical conservation and management techniques that can be replicated across other Southeast Asian regions to achieve sustainable inland fisheries for the well-being of local communities and ecosystems.