Natuna fishermen struggle to sail amid thick haze from Kalimantan fires

Thick haze from land and forest fires in Kalimantan is severely impacting fishermen in Natuna, Riau Islands, hindering their ability to navigate and conduct fishing activities. The limited visibility is making it dangerous and difficult for them to venture out to sea.

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We are also affected by the haze from the forest and land fires in Kalimantan.

Fishermen report that visibility drops to about three nautical miles offshore, making it impossible to see land or other navigational aids. Many are now relying solely on Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to guide their vessels. Zubian Toni, a local fisherman, stated, "We are also affected by the haze from the forest and land fires in Kalimantan."

The haze has persisted for approximately a week, according to locals. Hariadi, another fisherman from Subi Island, noted that those without advanced equipment like GPS or smartphone applications struggle significantly to determine their direction. Traditional navigation methods, such as spotting landmarks, lighthouses, or stars at night, have become ineffective due to the dense smoke.

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It has been a week now, the haze hasn't disappeared. It's the rainy season, but the smoke isn't being carried away by the wind.

Normally, lighthouses are visible up to eight nautical miles, but the haze reduces this range to just half a mile. This poor visibility complicates efforts to locate schools of fish, such as tuna and mackerel, which fishermen often identify by the presence of seabirds or the disturbance of the water's surface.

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It is certainly very difficult.

Fortunately, the situation has seen a slight improvement in the past day, with stronger winds beginning to disperse the haze. However, the past two to three days were described as particularly severe, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the Natuna fishing community.

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If we find a school of mackerel, but it's obscured by the haze, that's the difficulty caused by the haze.