Government drafts bill on coastal management
JAKARTA (JP): The government is drafting a bill on coastal spatial layout and management in a bid to help the country and its regions cope with the implementation of regional autonomy.
"The bill will clearly state the divisions between coastal areas for conservation, exploration, tourism, development, and other use," Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sarwono Kusumaatmadja told The Jakarta Post and Kompas at his office on Wednesday.
The ministry, in cooperation with other related ministries such as the Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure, will establish guidance for regional leaders on the spatial planning and management of coastal areas.
The country's 81,000 kilometers of coastline are potential for fisheries investment, both at traditional and modern levels, Sarwono said.
"Therefore, if investors come by and want to set up some business here, they will know the exact rules and regulations," he said, adding that there are 2.4 million hectares of potential coastal areas in eastern Indonesia that are suitable for fish farming, such as in West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and Maluku.
Rokhmin Dahuri, Director General for Coastal and Small Islets, added that the general guidance for the coastal spatial plan is expected to be ready in March.
"The guidance will then be included in the bill on Coastal Spatial Planning and Management, as well as additional legal sanctions for violators," Rokhmin said.
He further indicated that fish farming needs clean water and slow currents which are free from water pollution.
"Therefore, the bill will cover five issues besides spatial planning, which are resource management, waste management, engineering and construction, biodiversity, and community-based development," Rokhmin said.
He suggested that Kerapu fish breeding in the country could achieve US$1.2 trillion in profits per year through fish farming, as a 100-square-meter Kerapu fish farm can earn some Rp 50 million profit per year.
Minister Sarwono further explained the planned restructuring within the ministry, in which there will be two new sections, namely the Directorate General for Capture Fisheries and Directorate General of Aquaculture in a bid to put a more operational function on the units.
"The world tendency shows that the growth in aquaculture (breeding fisheries) is far higher than capture fisheries, which according to FAO 2000 data had a significant increase from 13.13 million tons in 1990 to 28.27 million tons in 1997.
"While capture fisheries were 86 million tons in 1990 and only experienced a slight increase to 94 million tons in 1997. Therefore, these two directorates are set up to anticipate the fisheries' development," Sarwono said.
The previous Directorate General for Research and Operations will be changed into a body called the Operation and Research Agency, he added. (edt)