In August 2025, we organized a half-day event for our friends from the community Spearfishing Luwu Timur focused on the breeding of Sulawesi shrimps, or rather endemic invertebrates from Lake Matano. Why is this clarification important? Firstly, because it is not only about shrimp – they are commercially interesting, but also small snails need breeding in a safe environment (out of reach of invasive fish) and Sulawesi Keepers do not want to neglect them. And secondly, because it is necessary to strictly separate species from Lake Matano from others if breeding should take place in Lake Matano.
The workshop took place right on the shores of Lake Matano and was organized by Sulawesi Keepers and friends from the Tarsius organization. Iqram translated my presentation, in which I explained the broad context, such as the demand for wild caught animals versus those captive bred, or how collection in the wild can be combined with conservation. Examples include Project Piaba in the Amazon, but also sustainable collection of marine fish on coral reefs here in Indonesia. The key word is sustainable!
In recent years, I have witnessed how difficult it is to find Caridina dennerli – and vice versa, how easily shrimp can be “lured” into safe stone pyramids that provide shelter from invasive flowerhorns and provide a suitable algae-free environment. (Read more in this article.) But stone pyramids are built by shrimp collectors and shrimp are regularly collected from them. This shrimp collecting is definitely not sustainable and only contributes to the drastic decline of shrimp and a high risk of their extinction.
But let's now recall the vision of Sulawesi Keepers:
OUR VISiON
The diversity of native freshwater fauna is appreciated by local communities who continue to benefit from it sustainably.
We recognize their right to use natural resources.
Aquarists and zoos act as responsible keepers of endangered species.
Ex situ (aquarium) populations are managed to ensure the species survival.
Yes, we support the right of local communities to use natural resources. The survival of species is a necessary condition, no one will benefit from plundered lakes. Moreover, our partners from Spearfishing Luwu Timur are not the ones who collect shrimps – they catch invasive fish and are looking for other ways to protect the unique biodiversity of Lake Matano. Breeding endangered species away from the invasive fish seems to be a solution, but not an easy one.
We talked in detail about what it takes to successfully keep Sulawesi shrimps in aquarium and why shrimps are so demanding (i.e. how perfectly they are adapted to the conditions of lakes, which are absolutely unique and difficult to imitate). We discussed shrimp storing and transportation. A local shrimp hunter with extensive experience also participated in the event.
The result of the lecture and discussion was that the local people now have a better understanding of the needs and opinions of the “market”; they understand the demands of shrimps; and they will direct their efforts even more towards protecting shrimps directly in the lake. We agreed on experiments that can help to better understand and subsequently reduce threats (invasive fish, but also algae growth) and at the same time reduce the pressure of collectors on the surviving wild populations of Caridina dennerli. Sustainable shrimp farming in the lake is not a utopia, but conservation with economic benefit.
Markéta Rejlková
