TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan claimed that Indonesia has enormous marine potential which is estimated to be worth US$1.2 trillion per year. Unfortunately, it has not been fully explored yet.

According to Luhut, cooperation with various parties is necessary to optimize the potential considering many rooms are available to boost the domestic fishing industry. “The industry can run well only if we join hand in hand,” said Luhut on Wednesday, October 2.

Luhut also appreciated several programs related to the fishery sector that are still ongoing, such as the One Million Sovereign Fishermen program which utilizes app-based technology to help locate fish in the ocean, fish auction and payment method.

The other programs include prosecution against perpetrators of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU Fishing), regional cooperation agreement against crimes related to fisheries, and the formation of special teams to protect ship crews.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries’ Director-General of Fishing, Zulficar Mochtar, pinned hope that all Indonesians could gain the benefits from marine potential.

“So now, how can we optimize this so that it will not create an oligarchy, and the public can obtain optimal advantages from the fishing industry,” said Zulficar, adding that the compliance with regulations must be concerned, too.

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