February 27, 2004

Indonesia's Fishery Exports To Reach US$5 Billion in 2006

Indonesia's fishery exports is expected to hit US$5 billion in 2006, up from an estimated US$2 billion in 2003 and from US$1.5 billion in 2002, Maritime and Fisheries Minister Rokhmin Dahuri said.

Dahuri attributed the increase to success in reducing illegal fishing and an improvement in infrastructure.

He said he was confident the country would achieve the export target of US$5 billion in 2006 if construction of more fishing facilities, such as fishing ports and terminals, will be carried out as expected.

Realization of the target will be easier if illegal fishing, which has caused a loss estimated at US$4 billion to the state annually, could be eliminated, he added.

Currently, Indonesia is among the ten largest exporters of fishery products in the world.