The higher sales revenue of fish in Muara Angke Fish Market, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, which is up to 3 tons of fish with earnings as much as Rp 2 billion per day has made the market as a main purpose of fish sales in Jakarta. The condition makes the city administration to be more wary, because 50 percent of fish distributed from other regions that are not free from formalin. 

We're focusing on fish from outside the city. Otherwise, the local fish has been proven safe from formalin

"50 percent of fish here are mostly from local fishermen and 50 percent others from outside Jakarta. They are Bengkulu, Lampung, Banten, Indramayu until Surabaya," expressed Responsible Party of Muara Angke Fish Market, Syamsuri, Saturday (2/21).

According to him, many fishermen from outside the city supplying fish to Muara Angke is due to high market demand. Because, its distribution covers the Greater Jakarta, Bandung and Cianjur.

"In the upcoming March, all fish vendors will be centralized into the new market as wide as 8,000 meters, including street vendors," he explained."

Meanwhile, Head of Food Resilience Division for Jakarta Marine, Agriculture, and Food Resilience Department, Sri Haryati disclosed that after being relocated, the fish distribution in such new market would be monitored tightly, particularly outside Jakarta.

"We're focusing on fish from outside the city. Otherwise, the local fish has been proven safe from formalin," she stressed.

Haryati furthered Jakarta fishermen are equipped freezer, thus it minimizes the use of formalin on fish. They were also appealed to complete the fish with formaldehyde-free certificate from institutions in each region.

"This is a must. If they (fishermen) have no the certificate, we will check their wares in our laboratory," she asserted.