Expert issues warning about emerging challenge that could raise prices on staple food item: 'There's the possibility these won't exist anymore'

People in Indonesia are concerned about how landscape changes in the South Sumatra province are affecting the Musi River Basin and the availability of the popular freshwater snakehead murrel fish. 

As Mongabay reported, artisans and fish traders in the provincial capital of Palembang are concerned about the decline of this staple food, which ties in with the local culinary culture.

What's happening?

The population of rural South Sumatra and Palembang has depended on local rivers and wetlands for food for centuries. Much of the local cuisine consists of fish-based dishes, making the snakehead murrel fish and other freshwater fish staple foods.

However, these wetlands and rivers have been affected by landscape change over the past few decades as more industry moves into the area. 

The Musi River is the main river in the area, with approximately 11,600 square miles of wetlands surrounding it. It's estimated that large companies have taken over a third of these wetlands in recent years.

Oil extraction in the region has increased, and businesses have uprooted forests. Also, construction and an increase in human settlements have worsened the sediment in the Musi, while miners have taken to dumping pollution into it.

A 2019 study on the snakehead murrel fish found that "overfishing and habitat fragmentation due to pollution, illegal logging, and land conversion conduce a decline in this fish population in its habitat." 

As a result of the decline, Indonesia's food prices are rising. In February, they were up 2.3% compared with last year, even with consumer price deflation, according to Mongabay. 

Why is the declining fish population concerning?

Besides how a decline in fish will affect the area's culinary culture, this decline may raise food prices further, causing food instability. 

As more industry moves into new areas and change the local landscapes, food prices and stability are affected. Rising temperatures make it more difficult for food to be grown or sourced, while more industry means a loss of local habitats, which affects local food chains. That makes groceries more expensive and, sometimes, more difficult to find. 

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Regarding the situation in Indonesia with the snakehead murrel fish, researcher Ryllian Chandra told Mongabay: "If the wetlands are damaged and destroyed, then there's the possibility these won't exist anymore."

What's being done about the declining fish population?

The Indonesian government has made some attempts to bolster the declining fish population, per Mongabay. One program attempted affordable fish farming of the snakehead murrel in a different district. Unfortunately, ammonia from the feed given to the fish can contaminate local waterways.

There has also been some farming of different fish, such as catfish and tilapia, although this doesn't help the freshwater fish population in the Musi River.

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