We have already written several times on the blog and in newsletters about our meeting with Spearfishing Luwu Timur in 2024 and the subsequent cooperation. It is a community of people with whom we get along well and respect them very much. They have a sincere interest in protecting Lake Matano and are very dedicated to reducing invasive fish (catfish and flowerhorns) and plants in it.
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."
It will be an honor for us to support Spearfishing Luwu Timur in their further activities.
Markéta Rejlková
