'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)