Gunungkidul to have new harbor

YOGYAKARTA: In a bid to increase the daily yield of fish in Gunungkidul -- from 800 kg a day to 4 tons -- the Yogyakarta authority is building a harbor worth some Rp 10.5 billion, an executive said recently.

According to Suwarman, head of the Business Development and Catchments Section of Yogyakarta provincial Fishery Office the construction of the harbor had been underway since June 2003.

"Hopefully the harbor will be ready next year", said Suwarman, explaining that the harbor would host a number of supporting infrastructures and facilities including a fishermen's village, ice factory, dock and a gas station -- all on 2.6 hectares of land.

At present, according to Suwarman, only 14 big-sized, 25 medium-sized, and 40 small-sized ships could moor at the pier. But when the harbor opens, some 200 ships are expected to anchor their everyday. -- JP