'Protect marine resources'

'Protect marine resources'

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called yesterday for
increased efforts to protect Indonesia's vast territorial seas
and marine resources, particularly against illegal exploitation
by foreigners.

The President installed yesterday 18 members to the National
Maritime Council, an institution he personally heads. The council
was set up last year to oversee development of the sector.

Speaking at the installation ceremony at the State Palace,
Soeharto said development of the sector was closely linked with
national security and defense issues, Antara reported.

"We need to continue our efforts to protect the wealth and
potential of our seas from illegal exploitation by foreign
parties," he said.

The government has pointed out that Indonesia's vast fishery
resources had been exploited by foreign fishing boats, many
operating illegally.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman, installed as the council's deputy chairman,
said the Indonesian Navy apprehended 200 foreign boats in the
last two months for fishing illegally.

The council comprises cabinet ministers, senior government
officials and maritime experts. Among cabinet members are
Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat, Armed Forces
Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas
and Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad. Former foreign minister
Mochtar Kusuma-Atmadja and senior diplomat Hasyim Djalal, both
maritime law experts, are also on the council.

Founded by Presidential Decree no. 77 issued last September,
the council is one of the few products to come out of last year's
officially declared Year of Maritime Affairs.

Soeharto said the maritime sector's potential was immense,
pointing to the fact that the sea spanned 6.5 million square
kilometers and made up about three-quarters of Indonesia's total
territory.

He said Indonesia had yet to fully tap the commercial
potential of its maritime resources, and that the new council
would investigate how this resource might be better utilized.

The government, he said, had already made various efforts,
including assistance to fishermen, deregulation of the fishery
sector to make ship procurement easier and prosecution of illegal
fishermen.

"These efforts are minuscule when set against the potential
and the opportunities our seas offer. That's why we need to pay
greater attention to maritime development," he said.

He called for vigilance and closer supervision against
shortcuts to exploit the sea's vast wealth.

He cited destruction of the nation's coral reefs and discharge
of waste as examples of actions threatening Indonesia's marine
biodiversity.

Soeharto acknowledged four major obstacles in development of
the sector: poor coordination between government agencies, lack
of technical exploration knowledge, lack of enthusiasm among
domestic and foreign investors and a lack of human resources.

"We need to plan ways of overcoming them (the obstacles).
Without thorough planning, the maritime sector will continue to
trail behind other sectors of the economy," he said.

Soesilo said after the ceremony the maritime sector
contributed 15 percent of the national gross domestic product.

Indonesia's vast territorial sea had the potential of
producing 6.7 million tons of fish a year, but the current
national fishing fleet -- 357 boats with a total gross tonnage of
50 -- produces only 1.9 million tons, he said.

"This is appalling," he said.

He said to help local fishermen, the government planned to
give impounded foreign boats to fishermen's cooperatives.

Soesilo said that for an archipelagic nation, the local
freight business is in an even more dire condition, with nearly
98 percent of sea cargo carried by foreign-flag vessels. (emb)