IPB University Lecturer Explains Marine Work Safety and Fish Handling at PPN Kejawanan Cirebon
Fishing activities are known as 3D (dirty, dangerous, and difficult). Therefore, fishermen who depend on fishing activities are always faced with the problem of work accidents and the low quality of caught fish.
On this basis, lecturers of the Department of Fisheries Resource Utilization (PSP), Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK) IPB University carried out a community service program for fishermen at the Perikanan Nusantara Port (PPN) Kejawanan Cirebon which was held on 26/2.
The community service activity was led by the Chairman of the PSP Department, Prof Dr Eko Sri Wiyono. In this activity, the PSP Department team and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) collaborate in a sustainable and planned manner in increasing the capacity of Indonesian fishermen in various programs, especially skill improvement programs.
PSP Department lecturer who attended the activity, Dr Budhi Hascaryo conveyed important things related to marine work safety for fishermen. “A review of work safety, where the factors of fishermen’s work safety are the ship as a vehicle, fishermen as actors, the environment and the ship as a workplace,” he said.
“We also need to pay attention to the operation of fishing vessels such as weather conditions, cask conditions, main engines and auxiliary engines to fuel. Other preparations are operational preparations such as ship motion, ship stability, engine stability, setting-hauling position and so on, to post-operational preparations, namely loading and unloading of catches, port activities, ship cleaning and ship security,” he explained.
Another PSP Department lecturer, Dr Zulkarnaen, in his presentation conveyed the cause of the decline in the quality of caught fish. “The decline in fish quality is caused by several things, namely the deck of the ship in dirty conditions, water for washing fish in dirty conditions, leaving fish in the open and exposed to direct sunlight, leaving fish in the hold for too long and so on,” he said.
He continued, in maintaining fish quality, awareness and knowledge of all crew members are needed to carry out good fish handling methods. In addition, storage facilities on board must be adequate such as hatches and ice that is brought when leaving a considerable amount, as well as good cooling and fish storage techniques.
In closing, Prof Eko Sri Wiyono added that the community service program carried out by lecturers of the PSP Department is a form of the tri dharma of higher education.
“So that activities related to capacity building and maritime skills will become a routine program, both independently and collaboratively with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,” said Prof Eko. (*/Lp) (IAAS/Ard)
