Minister Trenggono Promises to Build 1,369 Fishermen's Villages to Indonesia's Remote Small Islands

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has assured that the ‘Red and White Fishermen’s Village’ programme will proceed, reaching out to small islands and remote regions. A number of locations on outermost islands with difficult logistical access are currently under construction. Trenggono stated that one such example is on Pulau Enggano, Bengkulu, which is included in the target for the first phase of 100 Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih. ‘Even the smallest and outermost islands are being developed. I will show you an example. These small islands are all inhabited, all fishermen. We are building there. Access is extremely difficult for transporting construction materials,’ Trenggono said at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Thursday. He confirmed that construction is ongoing despite the limited access, citing Pulau Enggano as a specific example. When asked if the island was part of the initial 100 villages targeted for completion by the end of June 2026, Trenggono confirmed it was. The minister explained that the site selection for the fishermen’s villages is based not on island size, but on population and existing fishing activity. The criteria require a minimum of around 50 fishing vessels under 10 gross tonnage (GT), with populations varying between 200 to 400 people. The remote areas in question are mostly inhabited small islands that depend on the fisheries sector for their livelihood. Trenggono revealed that the first phase of 100 locations is almost finalised, with the remaining 35 points expected to be completed this month. He added that an additional 1,269 villages are planned and currently in process, bringing the total target to 1,369 by the end of this year. He acknowledged development challenges, primarily due to the remote locations and varying thematic needs, such as ice plants, fuel stations, and boat repair workshops. Regarding operational support, Trenggono confirmed the fuel subsidy scheme for fishermen in these villages remains unchanged at Rp7,000 per litre.