Yogya mulls building large fishery port

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Yogyakarta administration is studying the possibility of constructing a large fishery port to raise revenue ahead of the full implementation of regional autonomy.

There are at least three sites in three regencies which are being considered for the planned port.

A study by Gadjah Mada University's Center of Developmental Studies of the Resources and Technologies of the Sea recently recommended the port be located either at Pandansimo beach in Bantul regency or Glagah beach in Kulonprogo regency.

According to the study, Glagah beach is the preferred site for the port.

"But if we take a different view of our study, like the aspect of the people and the support of the local administration, frankly Pandansimo is probably the most prepared," the head of the center, Prof. Kamiso Handoyo Nitimulyo, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Yogyakarta province is located within the province of Central Java. It has 110 kilometers of beaches fronting the Indian Ocean spread across three of its four regencies -- Bantul, Gunung Kidul and Kulonprogo.

The Indian Ocean offers Yogyakarta the potential of 905,000 tons of fish a year, and 319,000 tons of fish yearly from its exclusive fishery zones. The rich ocean has not been effectively explored because of its rough surf.

According to the study, building a large port on the southern half of Java island with the ability to accommodate ships with the capacity of between 50 and 100 dead weight tons would be very costly, as the construction of the port would require expensive technology to reduce the risks posed by strong waves.

An approximately Rp 75 billion would be needed just to build the sea port's main facilities.

Last year, the Bantul administration unveiled a plan to build an integrated fishery port in Pandansimo, some 25 kilometers to the south of Yogyakarta.

The fishery port, which will occupy some 30 hectare of land, will cost some Rp 600 billion to construct.

Bantul regent Idham Samawi said the proposal to construct the port had won support from the Ministry of Fisheries.

"Last week I was invited by the ministry to explain our proposal," he told the Post, adding that the ministry had also pledged to provide financial support for a feasibility study.

He also said three foreign investors, including England's Woodland Venture Development Limited, had expressed interest in the project.

When asked about the proposal to build a similar port on Glagah beach, Idham said Bantul had received more support for its project than Kulonprogo regency.

Separately, the deputy chief of the provincial council, Nur Achmad Affandi, said the provincial administration and the central government would make the final decision on which area would be most suitable for a fishery port. (44)