The School of Computing Telkom University held a Training on the Use of Social Media for Small Fishermen in Pangandaran
The Pangandaran diving fishermen community is a small fishing group located in Karangjaladri village, Parigi sub-district, Pangandaran Regency. In catching fish, they use a kind of fish spear called a speargun. This activity is carried out while diving without using oxygen cylinders. The type of fish caught is white snapper (barramundi), red snapper, mackerel, and other types of pelagic fish. This spearfishing activity can be carried out in the Cijulang river or at sea near the river mouth. Because fish that are the target of prey usually live in brackish water (a mixture of fresh water and salt water). If the sea water conditions do not support, such as messy and big waves, they catch fish using fishing rods.
The boat used by fishermen to catch fish is a small boat equipped with outboard engines with 15 PK power. The boat is not equipped with a seat and roof. Likewise, there is no safety life jacket, so it does not meet the safety requirements if the boat is used by tourists for fishing or spearfishing. During this time fishing and spearfishing are only done as limited as fishing activities for sale or self-consumption. The fish obtained is sold to collectors at low prices. Barramundi, which is priced around Rp. 120,000 per kilogram in the supermarket, only sells for Rp. 35,000 to Rp. 50,000 per kilogram. This activity has not been promoted to tourists who are interested in carrying out tourism activities specifically for fishing and spearfishing in Parigi Pangandaran. Both domestic and foreign tourists.
This condition encouraged the Community Service team of the Telkom University, which consisted of Jondri, Aniq Rohmawati, and Fitriyani to help the fishermen’s problems. This community service activity aims to make fishing activities routinely become a tourist activity of specific interest in fishing and spearfishing. The two main things done in this community service are to complement fishing boat facilities so that they are representative to be used as fishing boat tours and spearfishing and train fishers to promote this activity on Facebook social media. So that the boat is safe and comfortable to use by tourists, then some renovations are needed on the boat. The inside of the boat must be added with a board to cover the bottom of the boat. After that, the board is covered with a mattress so that it is comfortable for tourists. The boat must be added to the roof so that tourists are not hot and rainy. In addition to the safety of tourists, the boat must be equipped with a safety jacket.
Training on social media utilization will be held to help fishermen, especially Facebook, for promotion of activities such as spearfishing activities for tourists. The main benefit obtained by fishermen by making fishing and spearfishing activities as special interest tours is the definite income from tourists in the form of boat rental and fees as guides for fishing and spearfishing. Furthermore, the success of the Community Service program was measured by the number of tourists involved in fishing and spearfishing activities in Parigi Pangandaran. Meanwhile, to ensure the sustainability of the program is carried out by establishing contact with the Parigi Pangandaran spearfishing community.
This activity is part of community service in collaboration with the Fisherman Diving Community Pangandaran, which is a group of fishermen with interest in fishing for spearfishing who care about the environment in the Pangandaran region.
