'Protect marine resources'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called yesterday for
\nincreased efforts to protect Indonesia's vast territorial seas
\nand marine resources, particularly against illegal exploitation
\nby foreigners.<\/p>\n
The President installed yesterday 18 members to the National
\nMaritime Council, an institution he personally heads. The council
\nwas set up last year to oversee development of the sector.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the installation ceremony at the State Palace,
\nSoeharto said development of the sector was closely linked with
\nnational security and defense issues, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
\"We need to continue our efforts to protect the wealth and
\npotential of our seas from illegal exploitation by foreign
\nparties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has pointed out that Indonesia's vast fishery
\nresources had been exploited by foreign fishing boats, many
\noperating illegally.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman, installed as the council's deputy chairman,
\nsaid the Indonesian Navy apprehended 200 foreign boats in the
\nlast two months for fishing illegally.<\/p>\n
The council comprises cabinet ministers, senior government
\nofficials and maritime experts. Among cabinet members are
\nMinister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat, Armed Forces
\nChief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas
\nand Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad. Former foreign minister
\nMochtar Kusuma-Atmadja and senior diplomat Hasyim Djalal, both
\nmaritime law experts, are also on the council.<\/p>\n
Founded by Presidential Decree no. 77 issued last September,
\nthe council is one of the few products to come out of last year's
\nofficially declared Year of Maritime Affairs.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said the maritime sector's potential was immense,
\npointing to the fact that the sea spanned 6.5 million square
\nkilometers and made up about three-quarters of Indonesia's total
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia had yet to fully tap the commercial
\npotential of its maritime resources, and that the new council
\nwould investigate how this resource might be better utilized.<\/p>\n
The government, he said, had already made various efforts,
\nincluding assistance to fishermen, deregulation of the fishery
\nsector to make ship procurement easier and prosecution of illegal
\nfishermen.<\/p>\n
\"These efforts are minuscule when set against the potential
\nand the opportunities our seas offer. That's why we need to pay
\ngreater attention to maritime development,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called for vigilance and closer supervision against
\nshortcuts to exploit the sea's vast wealth.<\/p>\n
He cited destruction of the nation's coral reefs and discharge
\nof waste as examples of actions threatening Indonesia's marine
\nbiodiversity.<\/p>\n
Soeharto acknowledged four major obstacles in development of
\nthe sector: poor coordination between government agencies, lack
\nof technical exploration knowledge, lack of enthusiasm among
\ndomestic and foreign investors and a lack of human resources.<\/p>\n
\"We need to plan ways of overcoming them (the obstacles).
\nWithout thorough planning, the maritime sector will continue to
\ntrail behind other sectors of the economy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said after the ceremony the maritime sector
\ncontributed 15 percent of the national gross domestic product.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's vast territorial sea had the potential of
\nproducing 6.7 million tons of fish a year, but the current
\nnational fishing fleet -- 357 boats with a total gross tonnage of
\n50 -- produces only 1.9 million tons, he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is appalling,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said to help local fishermen, the government planned to
\ngive impounded foreign boats to fishermen's cooperatives.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said that for an archipelagic nation, the local
\nfreight business is in an even more dire condition, with nearly
\n98 percent of sea cargo carried by foreign-flag vessels. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protect-marine-resources-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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