Fish maw are trending in some countries, which like to serve fish soup. Fish maw or fish maw itself is a swimming bubble in the form of a membrane bag filled with gas such as oxygen which has changing pressure that can have many functions. In addition to helping fish to float in the water, it is also a resonance chamber that makes echoes and is able to receive sounds around it. For some types of fish, it also functions as a breathing apparatus.

Although it is an organ of the fish body, not all fish have it. Like deep-sea fish, it only has cartilage but does not have a fish maw. This fish maw is a part that can be made into various dishes, one of which is soup.

In China, fish maw is usually made into a very expensive soup. Not only because it contains many benefits, but also because it tastes good. It is also a source of collagen, waterproof glue, and a purifier for alcoholic beverages. It can also be processed into surgical threads used by doctors. Therefore, fish maws are highly sought after and very expensive. Fish maws that are commonly sought after are Snapper, Gulama Fish, and Kuro Fish. The fish sold are usually in the shape of a slab or like a dried balloon.

Among the many fish for which fish maws can be obtained, the most expensive is the Gulama fish maw. Gulama fish (Pennahia argentata) can sell its fish maw for up to Rp 80 million. A fisherman who goes to sea as far as the Wanam area and also to the Papua New Guinea border can even earn more than Rp 300 million from selling Gulama fish maws.

In the area there are thousands of Gulama fish that can be netted, although it is not easy to get them because of the long distance that requires fuel and supplies with a lot of capital. Going to sea for a month alone requires around tens to tens of millions of rupiah. There are also licensing issues to avoid rioting at sea.

For the price of Gulama bubble fish, according to fishermen who usually sail in the Wanam area and its surroundings, for under 10 grams, per 1 kilogram is valued at IDR 8 million, 10 grams per kilo IDR 18 million, 20 grams per kilo IDR 28 million, multiples of the next. The fishermen also admitted that they get high income if they can sell a lot of Gulama fish. 

The color of the fish maws should not be red, because it indicates that the fish is old and rotten, which in turn makes the bubble price cut by around 30 percent. And those who buy these bubbles are the collectors. They are willing to pay a lot if they get the best quality Gulama fish maws.