Yogyakarta urged to explore its rich maritime resources

Yogyakarta urged to explore its rich maritime resources

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta province, with a coastline totaling 110 kilometers
across its four regencies, has yet to fully exploit its marine
resources, a recent seminar on the subject concluded.

The one-day seminar entitled "Exploring the Nautical Resources
of the Southern Sea of Yogyakarta" at Yogyakarta's Sheraton Hotel
on Wednesday recommended that, in order to raise the province's
income, the administration should take more serious efforts
to explore the province's maritime resources, which had been
ignored for years.

"The central government, through the Ministry of Maritime and
Fishery affairs, will fully support Yogyakarta's administration
in its efforts to exploit its maritime territory in the Indian
Ocean," announced Indroyono Soesilo, head of the research and
development board at the ministry.

The seminar was organized by the Jakarta-based Suara Pembaruan
daily in cooperation with Gadjah Mada University's Center of
Maritime Technology.

Yogyakarta has 19 beaches in the regencies of Gunung Kidul,
Bantul and Kulon Progo.

However, only a small-scale fishing port in Sadeng, Gunung
Kidul has been established so far.

Records from 1999 had indicated that fish production was 1,184
tons, worth just Rp 6.7 billion, which contributed only 0.26
percent of the province's gross domestic product (GDP).

Experts have estimated that the amount of fish caught there
(in 1999) was only 15 percent of the total in the waters off the
southern coast of Yogyakarta.

Nur Yuwono, an expert in maritime technology at Gadjah
Mada University believed that fish catches from Yogyakarta
province was far below the natural stock. "Therefore, fisherman
need greater assistance from the province to improve their
catch."