A lack of ice is hampering the recovery of Meulaboh's fishing industry.-Jane Huang

Chilling problem for fishing industry

JANE HUANG

Hasanuddin, who has been an Aceh fisherman for over four decades, is greatly distressed.

Although his new boat has been ready for weeks, the 52-year-old and his only other surviving family, his son Ramadhan, 21, are finding it difficult to return to fishing. His boat was donated by international aid organisation Samaritans' Purse. The tsunami that wiped out most of his village and family on Boxing Day last year may have disturbed the ecosystem and destroyed the coastline, but that is the least of his troubles - he needs ice to keep his catch fresh out at the deep seas.

Fishmongers and fishermen such as Hasanuddin are facing a serious ice shortage after the three local ice factories were demolished in the wake of the tsunami. This means that in the sweltering tropical heat, they cannot keep their goods fresh for long.

Meanwhile, life goes on in the busy fish markets of Meulaboh. The fishmongers place large tunas and baby hammerhead sharks on banana leaves and show off their wares to the occasional camera. Shrimp in particular has become more abundant after the tsunami.

Twenty-eight-year-old Buyung is one of the few fishmongers who switched to the ice importing business after the tsunami to ease the situation of the other fishmongers.

"It is a service to the community," explained the second-generation fishmonger, who has helped his father since he was nine.

Both he and another fishmonger-turned-"ice-monger", Rudi, 26, were given loans to start an ice-importing business by one of the richer fishmongers in the market.

Every morning at 5a.m., Buyung, Rudi and their business partners climb into a rented lorry for a four-and-a-half hour drive from Meulaboh to neighbouring district Blang Pidie to wait their turn at the ice factories. Their journey is filled with breath-taking scenery but equally breath-taking sharp turns along the pothole-filled winding roads - one that has gotten considerably more arduous after the tsunami worsened the conditions of the roads.