REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,  By. Otniel Tamindael

JAKARTA -- Marine and fisheries sector in Indonesia has a major role to play in the national economic development, particularly in the provision of high protein food materials.

Having a large marine territory with 5.8 million sq km waters, territorial seas and exclusive economic zones, Indonesia is rich in marine bio-diversities supporting important national marine fisheries activities.

Marine and Fisheries Ministry's Inspector General Andha Fauzie Miraza stated here on Thursday that that the marine and fisheries industrialization program, with a blue economy approach, has showed a positive result in 2013 with fisheries production at 15.3 million tons.

Representing the marine and fisheries ministry, Andha addressed a media gathering where he emphasized that Indonesia has been self-sufficient in salt, for the first time, with a total production of two million tons.

On the occasion, he pointed out that export performance of fisheries products in 2013 was projected to grow by 19 percent or around US$15 billion from the target of US$4.2 billion in 2012.

From the export target of fisheries products, he noted that shrimp remains one of the leading commodities at US$1.9 billion as projected, followed by other fish commodities at US$1.5 billion.

Earlier, at a coordinating meeting of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), here on October 18, Marine and Fishery Minister Sharif C Sutardjo had stated that the country's fish production target is set at 20.05 million tons for 2014.

The minister had also stated that the production would include 6.08 million tons of salt water fish and 13.97 million tons of production from fish cultivation.

"Shrimp and tuna will remain the main targets of production," Sharif noted, adding that the growth target of the GDP for the fishery sector has been set at 7.25 percent in 2014, or an increase of 0.77 percent of the target set for 2013.

He stated that the target set for 2014 is based on the progress made so far in 2013, especially in the industrialization program with the blue economy approach.

The program launched by the ministry has shown positive results, he explained, citing an example of fishery exports in the first half of 2013 that had reached US$1.97 million with a volume of 621,700 tons.

"This is a 4.2 percent increase in fish production with trading volume rising 5.3 percent," he explained.

Shrimps have remained the largest export earners accounting for US$723.6 million or 36.7 percent of the total export earnings from the sector.

The main export destinations are the United States, Japan, the European Union and China.

The figures show that the country has a surplus of US$1.78 billion in fishery products trade, or an increase of 3.5 percent from the previous year.

Sharif added that with the target to be reached in mind, the ministry has launched a number of programs such as increase in competitiveness through improvement of productivity, efficiency and quality.

He pointed out that the ministry had discussed the fund requirements for the program, including construction of infrastructure, with related agencies.

According to him, it is also necessary to increase domestic consumption of fish to 38 kilogram per capita.

The minister noted that in 2014, the ministry will maintain focus on the acceleration of industrialization of the fishery sector to increase added value through the synergy between upstream and downstream business in the fishery sector.

During the recent APEC summit in Bali, Sharif had stated that the future of Indonesia depends much on the success that can be achieved from developing and exploiting maritime natural wealth.

He had pointed out that the maritime sector was one of the four main pillars, the others being, natural resources, agriculture and service, which would bring Indonesia to the ranks of the seven largest economies in the world by 2030.

The minister added that the maritime and fishery sector, now as well as in the future, would have a greater role to play in strengthening food security and expanding the country?s economy.

Therefore the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has tried to draw the government's attention to the development of the country's maritime sector.

"We need to strengthen our maritime industry and the sea defense industry with a regional approach," stated Kadin General Chairman Suryo Bambang Sulisto, in Kadin's coordinating meeting on fishery on October 22.

Suryo Bambang Sulisto noted that Indonesia is still lagging behind in the development of maritime industry.

Sea transport is still dominated by foreign ships and barges while the country's shipbuilding industry has remained in doldrums, he pointed out.

Based on Kadin's data, currently the country has only 250 dockyards to serve 12,000 units of ship in several areas in Indonesia.

Modernization of the country's maritime industry is urgent as the country's fishery sector is still weak.

"Poaching by foreign fishing vessels is still rampant in Indonesian waters," pointed out Suryo Bambang Sulisto.

Rampant illegal fishing by foreign nationals in Indonesian waters is yet to be thoroughly addressed.

In its effort to end this illegal fishing, which is estimated to have caused Indonesia to suffer losses of some Rp30 trillion per year, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) plans to intensify air patrols.

In Arafura alone, illegal fishing has contributed to losses amounting to Rp11.8 trillion per year, according to Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance Syahrin Abdurrahman.

"The findings are is based on the result of our research," Syahrin stated on November 23 in Langgur, Southeast Maluku, after conducting an aerial patrol of fishing boats over the waters of Southeast Maluku and Aru Islands districts.

He noted that aerial patrols should be carried out every four months, but due to limited budgets, they are only conducted twice a year in the western and eastern parts of Indonesia.

Further, Syahrin added that aerial patrols were considered an effective means to optimize the work of MMAF's patrol boats, which combed Indonesian territorial waters to control illegal fishing.

He revealed that during his three hours in the air, he saw some 150 fishing boats, mostly from Thailand, China, and Taiwan, operating in the Arafura and Southeast Maluku waters.

But Syahrin said he could not determine whether those fishing boats were operating illegally and, therefore, he would report his findings from his aerial patrol to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

He explained that he also conducted an aerial patrol over Natuna waters last Saturday in an effort to determine whether illegal fishing was occurring.

"We will continue to intensify aerial patrols through intensive coordination with the Indonesian Navy, National Police, and Maritime Security Coordination Board," he noted.

Sharin pointed out that up until August 2013, a total of 58 boats, most of them from Vietnam, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand, were spotted while illegally fishing in Indonesian waters.

He noted that illegal fishing in Arafura, and other Indonesian waters, has yet to be stopped because of the limited number of MMAF's patrol boats.

Therefore, Syahrin added, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in 2013, assigned four patrol vessels to operate in areas which are prone to illegal fishing, including Natuna waters, North Sulawesi Sea and the Arafuru Sea.

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