Government to impose new levy on fishing permits<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will impose a new levy on the
\napplication of fishing permits in a bid to increase state revenue
\nfrom the fishing sector, a senior fisheries official said here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Djoko Sugiarto, the director of fisheries infrastructure at
\nthe Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said that the
\nregulation on the levy would be implemented next year.<\/p>\n
The levy will be imposed on applications for fishing permits
\nissued by the Directorate General of Fisheries for trawlers with
\na capacity of more than 30 gross tons, Djoko said.<\/p>\n
\"The amount of the levy would depend on the size, tonnage, and
\nthe kind of equipment the trawlers use\", he told journalists on
\nthe sidelines of a fisheries workshop currently being held by the
\nministry in conjunction with the Australian Center for
\nInternational Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and Agriculture,
\nFisheries, and Forests Australia (AFFA).<\/p>\n
He said he was optimistic that with the new levy, the
\ngovernment's target to raise Rp 291.7 billion ($34.3 million)
\nfrom the fishing sector next year could be achieved.<\/p>\n
Bambang Suboko, the executive director of the Indonesian
\nFisheries Federation (Gappindo), said that the government's plan
\nto impose the levy would hurt the ailing fishing industry.<\/p>\n
\"The fishing industry has been stagnant during the last two
\nyears due to unfavorable macro economics, and worsening communal
\nconflicts in the main fishing areas of Maluku,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 46 percent drop in frozen tuna exports, a major export
\ncommodity, to Japan in 1999 from 38,000 metric tones in 1998
\nclearly indicated the setback to the country's fishing industry,
\nBambang said.<\/p>\n
\"If you look at the exports from January to August all sectors
\nare improving except for agriculture, which includes fisheries,
\nwhich dropped by 30 percent,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that in the current climate, the government should
\nprovide incentives rather than add further difficulties, in order
\nto help those in the fishing industry survive the harsh
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
\"This is not the time to tax more from the industry, at a time
\nwhen it is stuck,\" he said, adding that despite this they would
\nstill go along with the government's decision.<\/p>\n
Indonesia exports marine products to Japan, the United States,
\nthe European Union, and countries in East Asia.<\/p>\n
Bambang said the government should strive for recovery by
\nhelping the revival of the industry.<\/p>\n
In an effort to achieve this, the government should clarify
\nand ease the issuance of fishing permits, and suspend decrees for
\nmore taxes and levies, he said.<\/p>\n
Cooperation<\/p>\n
The two-day workshop will involve discussion on proposals for
\npossible cooperation in the fishing sector made during the
\nmeeting of Indonesian fisheries officials and their Australian
\ncounterparts in Bali in March.<\/p>\n
The issues include research collaboration on shark stocks and
\ntuna species shared between Indonesia and Australia, assistance
\nin institutional capacity building and assistance in the
\ndevelopment of marine culture in eastern Indonesia, including the
\nestablishment of pilot sites.<\/p>\n
Djoko said Indonesia would choose three projects to prioritize
\nin its future cooperation with neighboring Australia, such as the
\ndevelopment of the seaweed industry, grouper marine culture and
\nshrimp health management.<\/p>\n
\"These are in line with the ministry's own policy which is to
\nsupport income from exports,\" he said. (10)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-to-impose-new-levy-on-fishing-permits-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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