Aquaculture and Its Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic on The Fish Processing Industry: Case Study from Local Community

Abstract

The Indonesian government has facilitated farmers through the role of agricultural extensionists (AE). Covid-19 pandemic has caused heavily impacts on the fisheries sector especially on the socio-economic conditions of the stakeholders, e.g., fishers, fish farmers, traders, as well as consumers. This impact on aquaculture is about its production is largely influenced by the demand from the food service sectors, processing factories, and export. Movement restrictions of fish farmers and less demand from consumers needs to maintaining the stocks of cultured commodities becomes more expensive as most of the products could not be harvested. From the snow ball sampling methods and research interview, the covid-19 pandemic makes the fish processing industry decrease more than 56%. It impacts 3 main activities, such as reducing demand for fish, low prices due to cancellation of shipment by buyer and lack of technical service provider. This decrease has a positive impact on the community to overcome the existing problem, diversifying the product and recognize need for new strategies to identify marketing opportunities that use technology.