In August 2024, representatives of Sulawesi Keepers and the local community Spearfishing Luwu Timur met in the town of Sorowako on the shores of Lake Matano. We already knew the basics about each other beforehand, and after a polite introduction and talks about the lake, we agreed to spend a day in the water, witnessing the extermination of invasive flowerhorns and catfish while freediving. (Read why this is necessary in our post on 8 Current Threats to Malili Lakes in Sulawesi.)
That day resulted in understanding, respect, and hope.
Freediving and searching for catfish is a demanding activity. Physical fitness and mental endurance are essential. But it brings results; during their big events, members of Spearfishing Luwu Timur can catch hundreds of catfish in a few hours without causing any damage to the environment or native species. And while it may seem like a drop in the ocean, without controlling the invasive fish population, the lake would be lost for good much faster. These people are buying time. And they know it very well, as their words demonstrate:
"The activities we started in 2020 have encountered several challenges: from criticism of killing living creatures, to limited equipment, to our divers who are essentially self-taught. But our actions did not end there. Some people protested against the activity – but we know that what we are doing is the right thing, and in order to protect the natural environment in Lake Matano, something has to be sacrificed, in this case the invasive fish. When we met you, Sulawesi Keepers, in August 2024, and you were so enthusiastic and fully supportive of this activity, it encouraged our community members to continue. We hope that this activity will continue until the invasive fish can be completely eradicated later."
We also hope that the activity will continue, and it will be a great honor for us to be a part of it and support Spearfishing Luwu Timur. We financially supported the first event of the year 2025, from which you can see several pictures:
Hats off, friends, you are doing a very worthy job. Thank you for taking care of Lake Matano!
Markéta Rejlková
