Sexy Squilla That Gives Abundance Gift From God To Fishermen

Nia S. Amira
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For those who really miss sea­food, then do come to the coastal areas in Kuala Tung­kal Jambi, Tanjung Jabung Barat that is very famous for its dis­tinctive seafood culinary. Seafood lovers need to register Kuala Tungkal in their culinary visit list. There are many restaurants scattered through­out the area of the old terminal in Kuala Tungkal which serve special seafood menu. Usually, a local res­taurant opens at 5 pm and closes at 10 pm.

With only pay Rp. 20 thousand to Rp. 70 thousand per serving, we are full eating this variety of fish; such as pomfret fish, stingrays, Senangin fish as well as various types of scallops, shrimp, and crabs.

Mantis shrimp are known in Jambi as ketak shrimp served skin­fold did not forget. There is only one restaurant that provides a tasty sau­teed with ketak shrimp sauce. This sexy body shrimp having lots of leg is not easily found in other eating houses throughout Indonesia. Why? Because this type of shrimp is only available in certain breeding areas and one of them is in Kuala Tung­kal. In addition, this mantis shrimp type’s market is not in Indonesia but in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Do not be surprised, if the price of this shrimp as dishes becomes a little more ex­pensive than other seafood dishes.

For 1 ketak shrimp priced at Rp 30 thousand or even more, depend­ing on its size. If we order seafood dishes with ketak shrimp as the menu, then it can be charged Rp. 100 thousand per shrimp in Jakarta, even in Taiwan and Hong Kong may reach Rp. 350 thousand per raw shrimp and if it is cooked, the price could reach Rp 500 thousand per shrimp. Why so expensive? It is said that eat­ing mantis shrimp is the main target in Hong Kong and Taiwan besides lobsters because of its high protein content and is believed to be a drug for male’s vitality. In Indonesia, this type of mantis shrimp is used as treatment for children in order to not wet in bed again, although these habits can not be proven in terms of medical and nutrition, but this is more to the suggestion.

Kuala Tungkal water conditions with sandy mud making this waters area as the hotbed waters for mantis shrimp that also called as ronggeng shrimp.

Mantis shrimp that has a length form looked sexy with its many legs and now becomes the seafood’s queen for the fishermen in Kuala Tungkal, besides being very easy to get, this sexy squilla has higher eco­nomic value.

The fishermen are now actively hunting for mantis shrimp, even since the last 10 years there are about 70% of fishermen in Kuala Tungkal specialized hunting the shrimp due to the high economy value compared to fishing ordinary fish. This sexy squilla shrimp is highly in demand in the local market to be purchased by the mediator who will pay very high for 1 shrimp. This was confirmed by Dr. Mugi Mulyono who is one of the researchers of mantis shrimp from Jakarta Fisheries University or formerly known as The Academy of Fisheries (AUP) with its campus lo­cated in Jati Padang Pasar Minggu.

Kuala Tungkal is the largest man­tis shrimp habitat in Indonesia, even supposedly 60% of this shrimp that exported to Hong Kong and Taiwan were from Kuala Tungkal waters area in Jambi.

That afternoon a fisherman re­turns with joy because his mantis shrimp paid by a toke at a price of Rp. 1.3 million and more. This mantis shrimp prices are not calculated per kilo but per head and each shrimp has vary in price, depending on the size of which has been classified as for example C size, B size, A size, and the most expensive is the jumbo size. The difference is not too flashy but still give higher profits for the fishermen who have always lived shortcoming.