INDONESIA DECIDES TO OPTIMALLY TAP FISHERIES POTENTIAL

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 11 (Antara) - The optimal utilization of Indonesia's vast marine areas and rich fisheries resources can earn the government annual revenues of up to US$1.2 trillion.        However, foreign poachers have so far been making the most of various shortcomings in local fishing scene, such as the shortage of fishing vessels, lack of fuel stock, and inadequate cold storage.         Indonesia's inadequate control over its marine wealth has enabled foreign poachers to steal the country's fish, which, according to FAO, amounts to Rp300 trillion per annum.         President Joko Widodo, who took over as the seventh president last October, claimed in December that Indonesia lost some Rp300 trillion annually to illegal fishing activities. The irresolute approach of the government allowed some 5,400 illegal vessels to operate in Indonesian waters.         Therefore, the government, through the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), has resolved to develop the fisheries sector and optimally tap its potential in line with President Joko Widodo's vision for the maritime sector.         In a bid to clamp down on illegal fishing, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has put in place firm policies such as sinking foreign ships found stealing fish from Indonesian waters. She has also issued a policy imposing a moratorium on granting fishing permits.         The MMAF has strengthened and improved its ability to trace the fish caught in the sea by employing more human resources and using up-to-date technologies to curb illegal fishing.         Minister Pudjiastuti affirmed that eight months after assuming the ministerial post, she had gained an insight into several aspects related to the marine and fisheries sector. There were several policy approaches that needed to be improved.         She acknowledged that Indonesia had yet to optimally exploit its marine and fisheries resources although it had the potential of becoming a global maritime axis.         "Indonesia has geographically become a global maritime axis," Pudjiastuti noted late last month. Thus, policies must continue to be made and improved.         "But, more policies need to be reinforced," the minister remarked.         She emphasized that several policies had proven effective, including the moratorium on issuing licenses to fishing vessels of over 30 gross tonnage, and it had successfully reduced the number of poaching cases in Indonesia.         "The issuance of ministerial decrees has yielded positive results," she added.          The minister pointed out that one of the positive outcomes of her policies had been an increase in fish supplies in various local markets and regions across the country.          "Apart from that, fish prices have begun to go down, though it is still higher than average prices in the international market," she noted.          The minister expressed her optimism that prices would be at par with that in the international market, and fish would become a substitute to meat, which was being imported.          Pudjiastuti also expressed her hope that fish production would increase by two million tons by next year.          Secretary-General of the Indonesian Longline Tuna Association Dwi Agus remarked that the volume of catch, particularly tuna, had been increasing since the issuance of several ministerial regulations in the marine and fisheries sector.          The volume of catch in April 2015, which was recorded at 628 thousand tons, increased 80 percent to 1.095 million tons in May, he added.          Director General of Aquaculture Slamet Soebjakto said he had been optimistic that the country's fisheries production would reach 17.9 million tons this year.          "We are optimistic that the country's aquaculture production will continue to increase and meet the target of 17.9 million tons in 2015," Slamet stressed.          According to Slamet, a number of strategies have been adopted to boost the production of fisheries cultivation such as sea weed, which is not at the top of the list of the products of fisheries cultivation.          The MMFA has set a target to produce 24.12 million tons of fish this year, of which 17.9 million tons will be aquaculture fish and 6.22 million tons will come from marine catch fishing.         This year's fish production target has been higher than the target in 2014, which stood at 20.95 million tons consisting of 13.97 million tons aquaculture fish and 6.08 million tons catch fish.         Minister Pudjiastuti is optimistic that Indonesia will be able to increase its fish production by two million tons next year, to 26.04 million tons.         To further increase fish production, the minister will use most of the budget allocated for the marine and fisheries sector next year to the benefit of fisheries stakeholders.         "Next year, I would like 60 percent of the budget to be used by stakeholders such as fishermen and fish farmers," she remarked.          She explained that the budget allocated for the directorate general of fish catch of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry should be utilized for repairing the fishing equipment of fishermen.          However, she pointed out, only 18 percent of the budget allocation was being used for repairing fishing equipment, while a major chunk of 41 percent was used for infrastructure development. Infrastructure should be developed by the Ministry of Public Works, she added.          To overcome the shortage of fishing vessels, Pudjiastuti noted that the MMAF would allocate some Rp6 trillion to build a number of ships to boost the performance of the fisheries and marine resources sector.         "There is national consensus on this subject. Budget spending is aimed at developing national ships," Pudjiastuti stated.          She added that in 2016, Rp6 trillion would be allocated to build fishing vessels.          Pudjiastuti affirmed that in the 2016 budget, she would allocate about 60 percent of the ministry's budget for stakeholders.  "We will use ships made by state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL and other shipbuilding industries in the country," she stated.          PT PAL has made ships for foreign countries such as the Philippines, Pudjiastuti pointed out.          However, the minister admitted, the primary problem in the fisheries sector was not related to domestic or foreign ships but illegal fishing practices.***1*** (T.A014/INE)EDITED BY INE(T.SYS/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 11-07-2015 14:02: