00:01Fresh fish makes its way ashore in the Indonesian fishing hub of Juwana.
00:06From this harbor, a fleet of 1,600 boats journeys out into the Java Sea,
00:12some on eight to nine month expeditions, catching mackerel and tuna destined for export.
00:17But a distant war in the Middle East has sent diesel prices soaring.
00:21And with fuel accounting for up to 80% of boat operating costs,
00:26the profit margin for fish has disappeared.
00:29In April, only around a quarter of boats here were fishing.
00:32The rest docked as prices keep rising.
00:35There's painting and repair work to keep crews somewhat busy.
00:38But with no fish, there's no pay.
00:44It's a very heavy burden because when we are at home, we have no income.
00:47As fishermen, once we return to land, we have no other skills.
00:50It's difficult to find work on shore.
00:52We don't have the connections or the experience.
00:55And boat owners don't have it much better.
00:57They have crews to pay.
00:59And their boats don't mean much if they aren't making money.
01:04If we stop, we die.
01:06If we continue, we also die.
01:09Right now, we're stuck.
01:10We're still fighting and hoping that the government, especially President Prabowo,
01:15will introduce policies so fishers can go back to sea.
01:18That's a hope many here share.
01:23We understand the current global situation.
01:25But is there no policy from the government to sustain business sectors that support Indonesia's economy?
01:31If things don't turn around soon, it won't just be Indonesia feeling the impact.
01:35The country is the world's second largest producer of fish.
01:39And when fuel shortages force its fishing fleet to stay in port, the world's fish supply falls too.
01:45Another unintended consequence of a war thousands of kilometers away.
01:50Patrick Chen and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
01:53Patrick Chen and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
01:56You
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