Ocean research center opens in Bali

JEMBRANA, Bali: Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Rokhmin Dahurie opened here on Wednesday the Southeast Asian Center for Ocean Research and Monitoring (Seacorm).

The center is expected to conduct research and advise decision makers on ocean development at the national and regional level.

The center, which includes a main building and a laboratory, stands on 656 square meters of land. The whole compound occupies an area of 252 hectares, with other buildings including a guest house.

Some of the facilities in the center are ground stations to monitor fish catchment areas, an Indonesian fisheries information center and a data exchange system.

The government has estimated the country could earn US$82 billion annually from its ocean resources. -- JP