Marine science research to be assisted by Germany
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Germany and Indonesia are set to expand on their cooperation in marine science research, capacity building and education in a bid to set a five to 10 year action plan for the development of Indonesia's maritime affairs.
"It's a shame that Indonesia, claiming to be a maritime country with an 80,000 kilometers of shoreline, is lagging far behind in marine development," Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said after addressing a German-Indonesian marine seminar at Jendral Soedirman University here on Monday.
Yahya said that no less than 20,000 seamen are currently trying to obtain seafaring licenses.
"Among the requirements to obtain a license is the need to pass a sea simulator test and that kind of simulator is so far only possessed by the Indonesian Navy. We do not have enough funds to buy such a device, so we are in the process of negotiating for aid from Germany. Hopefully the device can be based at Diponegoro University (Semarang)," Yahya said.
The simulator costs approximately US$300,000.
The seminar was highlighted by a trip to Segara Anakan in the Nusa Kambangan islands, home the last tropical forest in Java.
The party included German Ambassador to Indonesia Gerhard Fulda, Jendral Soedirman University rector Rubijanto Misman, Director of Deutcsher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Renate Schoenhagen, head of the Research Agency of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Indroyono Soesilo and Director of the Center for Tropical Marine Ecology in Bremen Venogopalan Ittekkot.
Germany is set to provide another Dm3.7 million (about US$173 million) assistance in various marine programs, in addition to the previous Dm1.3 million given last year, Indroyono said.
"We really hope scientists can actively study the Segara Anakan area and find ways to solve the problems relating to the ecosystem's preservation," ambassador Fulda said during the trip on Tuesday.
Rector Rubiyanto further revealed that, based on recent observations, every year an average of one million cubic meters of mud accumulates in the Segara Anakan area from the rivers of Citandui and Cimeneng.
"The mud sedimentation is very high in this area, and can reach up to 1.7 meters," he said.
Some 1,200 hectares of the area's 8,900 hectares of mangrove forests are also reported to be in a deteriorating condition.
"So far only 622 hectares of mangrove forest have been under rehabilitation," he added.
Sedimentation in the Segara Anakan area has affected the lives of no less than 13,000 residents -- mostly fishermen -- living in the three villages of Laces, Ujungalang and Ujunggagah. (edt)