Jakarta (Greeners) – Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries signs a joint agreement with Ministry of Tourism to develop national marine tourism, in Jakarta, Wednesday (08/02).

The priorities of the agreement are develop marine resources potential, human capacity building, marine tourism promotion and marketing, data and information sharing, joint monitoring on marine and fisheries resources and marine tourism, and facilities uses.

“Indonesia needs to increase its service performance, not just focusing on product availability and commodities. State revenue will increase if marine also focus on management that will give added values,” said Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti.

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Furthermore, both ministries will also collaborate on managing marine harbors and market to become interesting marine tourism site. She said she wanted fishermen and marine business people to be guided to attract visitors or tourists.

“Marine tourism should have produced more than terrestrial, for instance Maldives. It’s only a small island, a bit bigger than Nias island but its foreign contribution equals Indonesia’s revenue. Meanwhile, its oceans are limited. Its Exclusive Economy Zone is not vast so we should have been able to improve our services to be as equal as theirs,” she said.

Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and Ministry of Tourism have targeted four billion dollar or 20 percent contribution to Indonesia’s foreign revenue. It means four time increase from last year.

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The agreement, she added, was followed up with Working Agreement between Development Sections of both ministries which focusing on expert sharing, education and training, internship, and facilities.

Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya said that lack contribution of marine tourism in Indonesia was due to regulation constraint on security issues, for instance, tourists would need 21 days to enter Indonesia’s oceans meanwhile other nations such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia would only need an hour.

“We are using the approach of security and not service meanwhile tourism is about services. All people should be treated as tourists not criminals and not all people are criminals except tourists. These two are different approaches,” he said. “As a result, we have revoked Clearance Approval for Indonesian Territories (CAIT). What happens? We have a 100 percent increase, from 750 yachts coming to Indonesian water territory in 2015 to 1,500 yachts in 2016. The point is remarkable results derive from unusual ways.”

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia has massive maritime richness and marine potential.

With sea and coastal areas cover 2/3 of Indonesia territory or 5.8 millions square kilometres with 97,000 kilometer long, it depicts promising marine potentials ready to be developed.

However, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti said those potentials have yet to give significant contribution to the country’s income.

Indonesia has only managed to achieve US$ 1 billion per year income from marine tourism, up to date.

“If we can develop those potentials, then economic value, in terms of income, increase people’s income, create jobs, and other multiplier effects can also be attained. So, it’s natural that Indonesia push forward marine and fisheries as one of the country’s main drivers for national development and welfare,” said Susi in a press release received by Greeners in Jakarta on Friday (13/11).

Furthermore, Susi said that Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will be focusing to strengthen national fisheries industry to achieve Global Maritime Axis vision and ASEAN Economic Society implementation.

Necessary policies were set up to ensure the industry’s stability and development.

In addition, government investments through infrastructure development such as harbor, cold storage, fish processing plant and other supports to local including boats and fish processing equipments.

During the past year, policies focusing on illegal fishing, Susi added, have been showing significant impacts for local fishermen starting from increasing fish catch, better quality and shorter fishing time.
Nevertheless, Indonesia is still behind for its competitiveness as a result of lack support from financing industry to the sector.
“Generally, financing industry has yet to give their support to fisheries sector, which on the contrary, increasing while global economic downturn,” she said.

Consequently, Susi welcomed JARING program as credit for fisheries industry and national banking supporting the program were increasing.

“I hope through this JARING program socialization, financing industry will support fisheries industry especially providing investment and capital for local fishermen, fish farmers, processing industry and distributor,” she added.

To strengthen fisheries industry in Malang district of East Java, the Ministry allocated Rp 5.23 billion, — Rp 195 million for ‘pemindangan’ (fish salting process) equipment and minced fish processing, Rp 663 million for ornamental fish, albumin processing tool and fish flour equipment and Rp 302 million for education and capacity building.

The ministry also gave grants for marine tourism, including floating house, boat, diving equipment, tourism information center and basic diving lessons for tour guides.

One of location receiving the grant was Sendang Biru of Tambak Rejo village, Sumber Manjing Wetan subdistrict, under Bhakti Alam Conservation Foundation chaired by Saptoyo.

The foundation received Rp 4.07 billion grant of floating house with 2 units of boats and 3 units diving gears.
Reports by Danny Kosasih