RI wants more from overseas fishing boats
RI wants more from overseas fishing boats
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
The government plans to apply a new joint investment scheme to
countries whose fishing firms are licensed to operate in the
Indonesian Economic Exclusive Zone to set up processing and
supporting firms in the country.
The plan should benefit Indonesia more, Minister of Maritime
Affairs and Fisheries Fredy Numberi said on Saturday, with
fishing firms from Thailand, the Philippines and China likely to
be the first targets of the planned policy.
At present, Indonesia benefits little from issuing such
licenses as most overseas fishing firms ship their haul directly
back home, Fredy said on the sidelines of the 2nd APEC Ocean-
Related Ministerial Meeting here in Bali.
"Aside from that requirement, they will have to also unload a
significant amount of their fish at Indonesian seaports," Fredy
said, hinting that the amount could reach up to 70 percent.
He refused to specify the timing of the new policy, which
would be in the form of bilateral agreements on a government-to-
government basis, but said the deals would be binding for
companies in those respective countries.
Hundreds of foreign-flagged fishing boats have been taking
advantage of the vast Indonesian waters, bringing home yields
worth billions of dollars annually.
"We want to change that. We want to get a fair share (of the
proceeds). It must benefit Indonesia," he added.
Building factories will not only mean new investment, but new
job opportunities.
It is not clear whether the plan, which will have no impact on
the holders of existing licenses, is in line with regulations for
international waters.
In the case of the Philippines, Indonesia has had
"encouraging" discussions over the issue with officials from the
country's department of agriculture, according to Fredy.
"Four fishing firms have already shown interest in investing
in and building fish-processing factories. There is one in
Serang, for instance, which is worth about US$170 million, and
another in Bitung worth $200 million in investment", Fredy said.
He did not mention the names of the companies.
According to Fredy, the three-year licenses for some 250
Philippine-based fishing firms to operate in Indonesian waters --
which were granted to them in November 2002 -- will expire by
Dec. 2.
The plan will also be applied to fishing boats from China and
Thailand, the licenses of which expire in 2006. The licensed
fishing boats from the two countries total 476.
"Both are very serious about following up this plan. Thailand
in particular, is interested in building the processing
facilities in Benjina (Aru Island), Saumlaki (Maluku Sea), and
the Natuna Sea," he said.