GISTARA GEYA, RIAU – Professor of fishery and marine science at Riau University (Unri), Deni Efizon sees the economic aspect of chitala lopis belida fish as an ingredient for food, and yet important consideration has been made that people or producers seek for an alternative ingredient. So far, belida species has been used as a food ingredient of pempek (a traditional fish cake dish from South Sumatra, Indonesia), fish crackers, pindang which is usually packed in a bamboo basket at a traditional market in Indonesia. Most of the foods can be found in Palembang (a city in south Sumatera), Jambi and Riau provinces. “Belida is getting more expensive because of the tough situation, there is a depletion of stocks. If (belida fish) is made for pempek, cracker, the price is too high and it is not marketable. Both consumers and producers tend to seek alternative ingredients, namely common snakehead and mackerel fish,” said Professor Deni Efizon.
Pempek is a very popular food from south Sumatera. It is made of fish and tapioca starch. fish, tapioca, and water are mixed to make thick dough. in different shapes and sizes, the drought is boiled until it floats. The cooked pempek is then deep-fried. While belida fish was declared extinct in 2020, that some researchers need to rediscover in Java. Belida species was last discovered on the island of Java, 172 years ago, in 1851 to be precise. This discovery also expands the distribution of the species on three islands, namely Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. Besides, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) issued a Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 1 of 2021 concerning the Protection of Fish Species which stipulates 20 types of fin fish as protected species. The 20 types of fish include Borneo belida, Sumatran belida, lopis belida, Javanese belida, etc. “snakehead and mackerel fish are still abundant, and the prices are affordable. Both taste and texture (of snakehead and mackerel) are soft, white, and probably the most suitable for alternative ingredients, instead of belida. if using another fish such as tuna, the texture is reddish and pempek will turn darker (colour). People might lose their appetites for pempel as the color turns darker,” said Professor whose expertise in water resources conservation at FPK Unri.
According to the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 1 of 2021 concerning Protected Fish Species, there are four species of the Notopteridae family that are protected, three of which are lopis belida, borneo belida, Sumatran belida. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that Chitala species are categorised as Least Concern, indicating a low risk of extinction in Indonesia, except for C. lopis which is considered extinct. Therefore, the conservation status in IUCN needs to be evaluated on the distribution of lopis belida in Indonesia not only in Java and a revision of the conservation status of Sumatran and borneo belida from Least Concern to Critically Endangered is needed due to limited stocks and distribution. “I am one of the members of an expert team on Protected Fish Species, established by the ministry’s directorate general of Marine Spatial Management (PKRL). The team makes an assessment of what to do next which will be the minister’s key performance index (IKU),” said Deni, who was officially inaugurated as a Professor at Unri in December 2024.
Meanwhile, a universal exhibition of Arkiv in Jakarta national gallery displays dolls, sculptures, paintings of marine species such as Sirenia (Sea cows), jellyfish, cephalopod mollusk (octopus), The reef manta ray Mobula alfredi (reef manta ray), shrimp, blue whale, turtle and chitata lopis belida. Among those species, only belida is the only type of river fish, belonging to the Notopteridae tribe (fish with knife backs). “As what I have heard, why did the artist insert chitata lopis belida among marine species, since he is originally from Palembang (south Sumatera). Belida fish is taken from the name of one of the rivers in South Sumatra which is its habitat. Perhaps, he liked to eat pempek and crackers when he was still small. Therefore, during the exhibition, he includes belida fish among marine species,” said the guide of exhibition, Nunik. (LIU)
