Strict rules imposed on imported fishing boats
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah reiterated yesterday that the government's decision allowing companies to import fishing vessels was based on the credibility of a company and its ability to meet government requirements.
Sjarifudin said that one of the most important considerations in selecting a company to import ships was to ensure that it would use them for its own operations.
"If (the government) thinks the company is likely to resell the ships, it will not be given an import quota," Sjarifudin told a press conference yesterday.
Director General of Fisheries F.X. Murdjijo announced Wednesday that the government had allowed 28 companies to import used and new fishing vessels.
Initially, 435 vessels which had been proposed by the companies had met government criteria, but the government approved only 320 for imports -- in line with the number of imports the government targets for each year.
Murdjijo said that from the 28 companies, 24 were given permission to import used fishing ships and four were allowed to import new vessels this year.
The 24 companies were expected to import 302 used ships and the four firms were permitted to import 18 new vessels.
The government said last July that it aimed to increase national fishery production by 5 percent a year. To reach this target, 240 fishing vessels per year -- or a total of 960 long- liners, purse-seiners and fishnets -- must be added to the country's existing fleet until 1999.
However, since importation started only this year, the target was revised, so that 320 vessels have to be imported every year until 1999.
The Djajanti Group, through its subsidiaries-- the publicly- listed PT Daya Guna Samudera, PT Djarma Aru, PT Kinantan Senaputra and PT Bintuni Mina Raya-- got the largest single quota of 61 fishing vessels. (pwn/10)
Company Number of used
fishing vessels
approved for imports
PT Alsum Prakarsa 5 PT Alsum Kampar Semesta 7 PT Anugerah Mitra Luhur Sejati 30 PT Bumi Aseamakmur 5 PT Daya Guna Samudera 15 PT Djarma Aru 15 PT Kinantan Senaputra 18 PT Minakencana Indopermata 2 PT Moto Sakti Segara 5 PT Nalendra Raya Bhakti 29 PT Nusantara Fishery 2 PT Ocean Mitramas 8 PT Timika Samudra 14 PT Tuna Mas Samudera 10 PT Ngupayamina Surya Cemerlang 15 PT Hasuda Mina Graha 16 PT Insiko Permai 22 PT Dinamika Banda Sejahtera 37 PT Arta Duta Dunia 5 PT Bintuni Mina Raya 13 PT Indotama Jaya 4 PT Sari Cakalang 1 PT Sinar Mangkudijaya 9 PT Tunggal Jaya Abadi 15
Total 302
Company Number of new
fishing vessels
approved for imports
PT Sinar Abadi Cemerlang 5 PT Bahtera Adimina 4 PT Sigra Tan Magita 5 PT Tuna Mas Samudera 4
Total 18
Source: The Ministry of Agriculture.