October 14, 2010

 

Indonesia set to boost aquaculture sector

In efforts to make Indonesia one of the world's top fish producers by 2015, the government is pushing for the development of fish farming and fishing-based cities.

 

To reach this target, Indonesia's annual fish production would need to increase by more than 300%, from 5.26 million tonnes at present to 16.89 million tonnes by 2015, said Martani Husein, the director general of fisheries product processing and marketing at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.

 

"The cultivated fisheries sector could be the prime mover for the national economy, since its production and potential have continued to increase year after year," Martani added.

 

Fishing-based cities, also known as minapolitan centres, would be developed in areas with active or potential fisheries and fishing industries, from upper to downstream levels.

 

Of the 197 minapolitan centres planned, 41 were selected to be pilot projects in 2011 and 24 are fisheries-based.

 

Indonesia Aquaculture 2010 would serve as a forum to share experience among experts and business practitioners in the sector, he said.

 

Separately, Fisheries Director General I Made Djana said the ministry had helped enterprises in the sector to forge ties with third parties, in efforts to make Indonesia the biggest producer of fish in the world.

 

"We have appointed Bank BNI 46 to provide loans to fish farmers. In this way, small business owners will have better access to finance," he said.

 

Responding to the plan, Lampung Governor Joko Umar said the fishery sector in Lampung had massive potential and that this province was ready to become the biggest fish producer in Indonesia.

 

In Yogyakarta, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said the ministry had allocated stimulus funds worth IDR1 trillion (US$112 million) to help improve fish and processed fish production levels.

 

"We will assist rural villagers to process both marine and freshwater fish using modern technology, to help boost people's income."

 

Fadel said the fund was intended for villages in Java Island, since the average consumption of fish by people in these areas was far less than that of people outside Java.

 

Besides providing fishing equipment, the ministry would also help villagers farm freshwater fish, which were economically more promising than agriculture, he added.