Two worlds of aquaculture

Indonesia and Scotland both play significant roles in this field, though with very different faces. Indonesia is known for its diversity; shrimp, tilapia, catfish, seaweed, and even ornamental fish, while Scotland is almost synonymous with just a few species, notably premium trout and salmon, consumed domestically and exported worldwide.

For me, as an Indonesian who has only recently stepped into the world of aquaculture in Scotland, these contrasts feel striking. In Indonesia, aquaculture is deeply rooted in the lives of coastal and rural communities, often practised as a family side business. In Scotland, however, aquaculture has emerged as a modern, regulated industry integrated into the global market.

Indonesia is one of the world’s largest aquaculture producers. With more than 80,000 kilometres of coastline, the country possesses extraordinary natural wealth. Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) are the main export commodities, while freshwater fish such as catfish, tilapia and pangasius cater to domestic needs. Indonesia is also a global giant in seaweed, supplying raw materials for food and pharmaceutical industries.

Yet behind these impressive numbers lie compelling human stories. In many villages, aquaculture serves as a lifeline during difficult times.

Heru Winarto, a fish farmer and fisher from Kediri, began his journey in 1986 while he was still in school. He raised catfish and tilapia to support his family’s economy, later shifting to ornamental fish such as betta (also known as Siamese fighting fish) and koi.

“Betta fish became a favourite because they required little capital but could fetch high prices, even millions of rupiah, if they had unique patterns,” says Winarto.

What began as a side business eventually made Winarto well-known; his products reached markets as far as Jakarta and Bali. Today, he continues to mentor other farmers voluntarily, both online through his YouTube channel Heru Tirto Fishing and offline, showing how Indonesian aquaculture often grows through community spirit and self-taught learning.

In the coastal region of Rajabasa, Lampung, a different story unfolds. Meita Saniyyah Ubay, a fisheries extension officer, explains that many locals still depend heavily on wild capture fishing.

“Farming, especially shrimp, is usually done as a supplementary source of income,” Ubay explains.

Government support through fisheries departments ranges from seed distribution and disease control to bank facilitation, but such assistance is easier to access for groups rather than individuals. This reflects a typical Indonesian pattern: aquaculture exists in many forms, from small family-run ventures to large corporations, yet challenges in outreach and regulatory consistency remain.