Indonesia loses Rp30 trillion per year by illegal fishing

Antara 14 Dec 07;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Illegal fishing in Indonesian waters is causing a financial loss of Rp30 trillion a year to the country, Maritime and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi said here Friday.

"Immaterial losses from illegal fishing include coral reef damage due to the use of explosives and potassium in the activity," he said on the sidelines of a coordinative meeting on fishery resources protection.

He said the coral reef ecosystem was of vital importance to the survival of submarine biota.

Illegal fishing by foreign fishermen were also a threat to the country`s sovereignty.

Numberi said eradicating illegal fishing activity was one of his ministry`s priority programs which would continue to be implemented over the next five years.

Therefore, fishery resource monitoring should be intensified as it was playing a significant role in upholding the law in Indonesian waters.

"Of course we also need the support of regional governments," he added.

The maritime and fisheries sector, he said, had a competitive ability to move the national economy.

The fisheries sub-sector`s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had increased by 18 percent in 2006. Fishery production in 2005-2006 increased by an average of 7.64 percent.

Fishery exports in 2006 totaled 1.02 million tons and added US$2.08 billion to the country`s foreign exchange earnings.

Ironically, the country`s fishery resources were being seriously threatened by the wide-spread use of irresponsible management and exploitation methods, he said.(*)