Bali pushes marine milkfish grow-out after 3-ton Buleleng harvest

Denpasar — — Bali’s fisheries authorities are pushing ahead with marine milkfish cultivation in Buleleng after a first harvest of around three tons in early March 2026, positioning the programme as a step from seed production toward value-added processing.

The initial harvest took place on 4 March 2026 in marine cage facilities off Gerokgak, Buleleng, where floating net cages are used to raise milkfish to market size, according to the provincial Marine and Fisheries Agency. The cages are located in coastal waters around Sumberkima and nearby villages that form part of the traditional milkfish seed, or nener, production belt.

Provincial fisheries officials said the harvest yielded about three tons of premium milkfish grown in floating net cages from 12,000 juveniles supplied under a 2025 government assistance programme. The juveniles were raised for roughly four months before being harvested, reflecting the longer production cycle compared with seed sales.

According to the head of the Bali Marine and Fisheries Agency, I Putu Sumardiana, the fish were sold at around Rp25,000 per kilogram and delivered directly to a processing plant to be made into deboned milkfish products. Officials describe the linkage from cultivation to processing as an example of fisheries downstreaming, aimed at capturing more value locally along the supply chain.

From seed production to grow-out

Coastal communities in Gerokgak, including Desa Pejarakan, have long specialised in producing and exporting milkfish seed for regional markets. National and provincial data identify Gerokgak as one of the world’s largest centres for milkfish seed, with exports of billions of fingerlings to destinations such as the Philippines and other Asian countries.

Sumardiana said the new initiative encourages farmers and fishers not only to sell seed but also to allocate part of their production to grow-out in the sea, using floating cages. He noted that about 30 percent of total seed output is now being raised to table-size fish in marine cages, while the majority continues to be sold as fingerlings.

Provincial communications describe the three-ton harvest as fully absorbed by the market, with the catch routed to an industrial partner producing deboned milkfish and other processed products. This model is intended to offer more stable income compared with reliance on fluctuating seed prices, while creating jobs in cultivation, feed supply and product distribution.

Support programmes and downstreaming

The March harvest formed part of monitoring for a 2025 assistance package that included 200 kilograms of netting for marine cages and other equipment delivered to coastal producer groups in Buleleng. The support is aligned with Bali’s economic roadmap, which prioritises strengthening marine-based industries and food security through aquaculture and processing.

Following the successful first harvest, Sumardiana stated that the province intends to continue the marine milkfish programme and target regular harvests, with one expected around September 2026, as part of efforts to reinforce coastal livelihoods. He has also highlighted downstreaming of milkfish, including deboned products developed in Buleleng for export markets such as Singapore.

Officials argue that downstreaming milkfish does not replace seed exports, which remain significant for destinations requiring fingerlings. Instead, the aim is to gradually increase the share of production entering grow-out and processing, tying community-based aquaculture more closely to industrial and export value chains.

The early results in Buleleng have been presented by provincial and local agencies as a pilot for integrating marine aquaculture with processing industries. Further development will depend on continued technical support, feed supply, investment in cages and sustained demand from processors for fresh milkfish from coastal communities.

Sources

• Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan Provinsi Bali – Panen Perdana 3 Ton! Bandeng Laut Premium Bali Siap Dongkrak Ekonomi
• Balipuspanews – Dikenal Sebagai Penghasil Nener, Buleleng Kini Mulai Coba Budidaya Bandeng
• Merdeka – Sukses Panen Perdana, Bali Gencarkan Hilirisasi Ikan Bandeng untuk Tingkatkan Ekonomi Lokal
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• Republika – Bali Jadi Produsen Benih Bandeng Terbesar di Dunia
• Terasbalinews – Hilirisasi Perikanan Digagas, Bandeng Premium Jadi Andalan Baru Buleleng
• Nusabali – Hilirisasi Perikanan Bali Bidik Pasar Ekspor