RI yet to tap fishery sector potential fully
RI yet to tap fishery sector potential fully
JAKARTA (JP): The achievements of Indonesia's under-developed
fishery sector has a long way to go before matching the size of
the country's sprawling 5.8 million square kilometers of tropical
seas.
Statistics show that Indonesia actually has a potential
fishery catch of 6.7 million tons a year; 4.4 million tons from
its territorial waters and 2.3 million tons from its
200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZ).
Recent media reports have stated that the local fleets so far
have only been able to utilize 40 percent of the resources in the
territorial waters and 25 percent of that in the EEZ.
Chairman for the Association of Indonesian Fishing Companies
Sudwikatmono urged the government last month to allow local
companies to import used fishing vessels.
According to the association, its members could not afford to
buy vessels manufactured by local companies, whose products cost
six to seven times more than the imports.
Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Aburizal Bakrie said most fishing companies were also doubtful
whether they could rely on the quality and promptness of locally-
produced fishing vessels.
Imports
The association claims that if imports of used fishing vessels
continue to be banned -- while at the same time local production
can not yet meet the local demand -- Indonesia's marine resources
will be hauled out of the country by foreign fishing fleets.
Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie contended,
however, that state-owned PT IKI and PT PAL were enough and
capable of manufacturing fishing vessels and passenger ships to
meet the country's demand.
Habibie emphasized the need for Indonesians to "love home-made
products", even if it meant that a sacrifice had to be made.
Bringing in too many large (more than 30 gross-ton) imported
vessels may also be a disadvantage to traditional fishermen.
According to the Directorate General of Fisheries, about 85
percent of the fishing boats operating in Indonesia do not use
motors, or use detachable motors, and they, therefore, cannot go
as far out as the exclusive economic zones.
Most of the small boats are operated by traditional fishermen.
The fishing grounds for traditional vessels are the shallower
parts of Indonesia's territorial waters -- mostly near Sumatra
and Java -- and that of large vessels are the deeper areas around
Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya.
Once too many large vessels operate in Indonesia, they may
shift their operations to shallower waters, thereby invading the
areas occupied by traditional fishermen.
If the government decides to allow imports in the future, the
best way to do it would be to select the vessels coming in,
depending on their size, their types and the market demand.
This, followed by stricter control over territorial waters and
the EEZ, will ensure that the large vessels keep to their areas
and the traditional fishermen maintain their livelihood from the
sea. (pwn)