Government Strategy to Develop Fish Exports in Papua

Jayapura (ANTARA) - Papua possesses vast marine and fisheries resources, but its contribution to national export value needs to be optimised. To address this challenge, the central and local governments are continuously developing integrated strategies from upstream to downstream to promote increased fish exports, while strengthening the blue economy in eastern Indonesia.

The Head of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office of Papua Province, Iman Djuniawal, stated that Papua’s marine catch potential reaches around 1.3 million tonnes per year, mainly from the northern waters within Fishing Management Area (WPP) 717. This potential reflects the abundance of fish resources, but they have not yet been fully utilised optimally for export needs.

One of the main issues lies in the limitations of fisheries infrastructure. To date, Papua does not have a large-scale fisheries port capable of accommodating high-tonnage vessels, equipped with adequate cold storage facilities. As a result, much of the catch from Papua’s waters is landed outside the region for further processing.

This situation leads to the loss of economic value-added that should benefit the local community. Additionally, reliance on other regions makes the distribution chain longer and less efficient.

“So far, catches have not been fully landed in Papua due to facility limitations. However, if processing is done locally, the value-added would be much greater,” said Iman.

As a strategic step, the local government is promoting infrastructure strengthening through the development of the Hamadi Fish Landing Base (PPI) in Jayapura City, transforming it into an integrated modern fisheries centre. Currently, PPI Hamadi only functions as a site for unloading fishermen’s catches, but in the future, it is planned to include processing, distribution, and a transaction centre.

With limited land area of around two hectares, the development of this PPI is being carried out vertically to accommodate various activities within one area. This concept is expected to provide a solution to space constraints, while increasing efficiency in economic activities in the fisheries sector.