So, do you recall when Komodo National Park used to be the ‘it’ place for wonderful tourist fishing escapades where you could boast about reeling in the legendary giant trevally? It is no more. Sport fishing over there is kaput now, all thanks to a dramatic price surge.
We’re speaking of a hike from Rp 25,000 to a whopping Rp 5 million per person per day. Sport fishing for that matter has become obsolete in current times. It is striking to note that the value has shot up by over 200 times.
Fishermen Left Stranded
According to Edison who operates MK2 Fishing Charter in Labuan Bajo, he has yet to encounter a single guest ever since the new rule came into effect. No work, no money,” he candidly confessed. Resultingly he is not the only one who has incurred losses like this.
Down the line at Tour & Travel, things are just as bad. Their staff Yustina claims they were primarily catering to the clientele who booked well in advance in 2023, which explains why they were still operational. She stated, “Once those trips are done, that’s it. No more bookings.”
No Fish, No Fun
Even those who manage to scrape together the cash are still met with disappointment. Why? Because the only fish people come for—the giant trevally—isn’t showing up much these days.
“They don’t want just any fish. They’re coming for GTs, and when they don’t catch any, they’re done,” said Yustina. Anglers are paying tons of money for shattered dreams, tears, and saltwater. Basically, empty hooks on salty oceans are pretty much what are offered.
Why the Price Hike?
In the eyes of fencing park officials, it’s for conservation purposes. Allegedly, sport fishing was viewed as too destructive to the ecosystem. Hengki, the head of the park, remarked that they needed a fee to fit the ‘impact’ of fishing in the marine reserve.
That’s a reasonable argument, but 5 million rupiah hike? Many tour operators are claiming that is overkill. In what appears to be an effort to cut their losses, many of them are now campaigning for government to reconsider this policy as NTT tourism is going to be drastically affected.
What’s Next?
Currently, companies have reduced working hours, laid off employees, or are operating at a complete loss. At the same time, tourists are bypassing Komodo completely, or only visiting for land-based tours.
“Unless the prices are lowered, no one is coming to fish here,” Yustina said without holding back.
What used to flourish, and be considered a booming niche in eco-tourism, is now on the brink of being non-existent, all because of a regulation that tried to implement too much too quickly.
