Jakarta, Jan 21 (Antara) - Being one of the backbones of Indonesian fishery exports, tuna fish production and export volumes should be increased and maintained to contribute foreign exchange to the country.
Up till the first quarter of 2015, based on the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesia¿s trade balance in fishery exports had recorded a surplus. Tuna exports contributed the biggest value after shrimps, namely US$89.42 million.
"This tuna export value was recorded in the first quarter of 2015," the Director General for Fish Processing and Marketing of the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry (KKP) said while inaugurating the International Coastal Tuna Business Forum In Bali last May. He was representing the KKP Minister, Susi Pudjiastuti.
According to the Director General, the government is paying a special attention to the development of the tuna industry in Indonesia as it has played an important role in the nation's economy.
After all, tuna is one the most imported food items in the world. As it is useful for health and serves as a main source of protein, global demand for tuna is also increasing.
"Demand is increasing for the good quality of tuna. Therefore, the tuna industry is also facing a challenge in meeting demand," the official said.
However, it was reported that Indonesia¿s tuna exports in 2015 dropped by 14 percent as a result of the KKP Minister's policy to impose a moratorium on the issuance of permits for the operation of ex-foreign fishing ships in the country.
Therefore, the Indonesian Fishery Business Association (Cappindo) had urged the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry to focus on helping local tuna businesses increase the volume of their production and step up exports to various countries.
"The ministry should focus on tuna exports because our tuna exports in 2015 dropped by 14 percent," General Chairman of Gappindo Herwindo said on Wednesday.
According to Gappindo, if the Indonesian tuna export market is left vacant, then other countries will take over the market. This will pose difficulties for Indonesia in regaining market access, he stated.
Gappindo also explained that the drop in Indonesia's tuna exports last year was among others caused by the government policy to impose a moratorium on the issuance of operation licenses for ex-foreign fishing vessels. The policy was imposed by the KKP Minister Susi Pudjiastuti some time ago.
"We hope the government will pay attention to and focus on the export of shrimps, tuna, seaweeds and crabs only. We should not think of others for the time being," he said.
It was earlier reported that the KKP Ministry is focusing on increasing cooperation in the investment sector, in an effort to reinforce the national economic growth, which at present, is slowing down.
In advancing its tuna industry, Indonesia has over the two years launched sustainable tuna development and quality improvement programs to increase the competitiveness of its tuna fish products amid increasingly tighter competition in the global market.
"In support of the sustainability of the fishery sector, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) has initiated cooperation between the KKP and processing companies or exporters in Indonesia. They are expected to carry out the program, among others in Benoa, Bali," Director General at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Saut Hutagalung said in May 2014.
According to Saud, in the implementation of the program, the SFP supported the use of researchers to assure the quantity of fish catch and accurate data entry in the log book of the exporters or ship owners.
He reminded that the tuna fishery industry had a good development prospect as long as it was developed based on tuna sustainable processing principles. After all, the international market, particularly Europe, has required fish imports to put ecolabeling.
The SFP on its website http://www.sustainablefish.org, said that Indonesia is the biggest tuna-producing country in the world, contributing 15 percent of global tuna production in 2009, followed by the Philippines, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Spain.
However, in terms of export, Indonesia only contributes about 4 percent of total global tuna export for fresh, frozen, and canned tuna.
Yellowfin tuna accounts for 29 percent of total commercial tuna landings in Indonesia, while bigeye tuna accounts for 7 percent. The fishing grounds for Indonesian tuna fall under two convention areas, Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific Ocean.
The Western Central Pacific Ocean supported the largest industrial tuna fishery in Indonesia, contributing almost 80 percent of total Indonesian commercial tuna production, while Eastern Indian Ocean contributes 20 percent of total commercial tuna catch from Indonesia.
Main fishing gears for the tuna fishery in Indonesia are longliner, traditional hook and line, and purse-seiner combined with FADs (fish aggregation devices).
Tuna products are the second biggest Indonesian fishery product exports, contributing 15 percent of total export value or about US$ 498.6 million in 2011.
The main markets for tuna export from Indonesia are Japan, the United States, Thailand, European Union countries and Saudi Arabia in 2012.
To further boost exports, the KKP ministry launched the tuna improvement program as part of its efforts to develop its sustainable fishing industry.***1***(A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 21-01-2016 20:32:4 |
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