REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Secretary General of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sjarief Widjaja, said Indonesia will need a well-built maritime infrastructure to profitably exploit the country's marine resources.

"By strengthening the maritime infrastructure, coastal areas in Indonesia could become connected," Sjarief said here on Saturday.

Further, according to Sjarief, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has been running a program for the National Fish Logistics System (SLIN) in eastern Indonesia's Java-Sulawesi corridor.

The Secretary General pointed out that the ministry strengthened fishing port facilities in the area in a bid to encourage the process of the National Fish Logistics System.

Further, it has been reported that fishing ports have been built throughout Indonesia, including some 816 units consisting of 6 ocean fishing ports, 14 nusantara fishing ports, 45 beach fishing ports, 749 fish landing bases, and 2 private fishing ports.

"SLIN can be a solution to improve national connectivity in supporting the movement and growth of maritime and fisheries," Sjarief said.

Previously, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries anticipated that President Joko Widodo might develop the National Fish Logistics System (SLIN) that reaches all of eastern Indonesia.

"The new government is expected to accelerate the development of the SLIN in eastern Indonesia and to reach production centers, such as Makassar Strait, Sulawesi Sea, South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific," the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's director general of fish production, marketing and processing (P2HP) Saut Hutagalung said here on Friday.

In 2015, he noted, the proposed budget will be some Rp 100 billion to develop the corridor of North Maluku - East Java, Maluku - East Java - Jakarta and Central Sulawesi - East Java - Jakarta.

He also said that the new government should build cold storage units on small islands that were far from the main landing centers, such as in Ogotua and Banggai in Central Sulawesi and Bacan in North Maluku.

"The development of the SLIN is very strategic in improving competitiveness and the reinforcement of food sovereignty," he affirmed.

Based upon data from the ministry, the potential value and wealth of natural resources found in maritime and fisheries was projected to reach 171 billion US dollars each year.

The potential value included fisheries at $32 billion US dollars, coastal areas at $56 billion US dollars, biotechnology valued at $40 billion US dollars , marine tourism at $2 billion US dollars, petroleum at $21 billion US dollars and sea transport at $20 billion US dollars.

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