TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said Indonesia is expected to be the largest ornamental fish exporter in the world. According to Susi, her Ministry is committed to helping the ornamental fish industry to achieve the target.

“I can see that there has been a dramatic increasing trend in the industry,” Susi said when attending the 2nd Indonesia Ornamental Fish and Aquatic Plant Show at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) of Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) in Tangerang on Sunday, December 3.

One of the assistances pledged by Susi is to remove the non-tax state revenue (PNBP) for the Ministry’s ornamental fish raiser under the Ministry’s management at Cibinong, Bogor. The raiser is one of the facilities helping with ornamental fish export activities across the country.

“The PNBP is too high. I will talk about this with the Finance Minister [Sri Mulyani Indrawati]. If it’s necessary, it will be removed,” Susi added.

The exhibition was held by ornamental fish association Nusantara Aquatic, in collaboration with the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministry and the Maritime Afairs and Fisheries Ministry on December 1-3. The event was closed today by Susi.

The event was held to encourage local business owners to become the leader in the international ornamental fish market. Data from the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministry shows that Indonesia was the third largest salt water ornamental fishes exporter with a total export value of US$5.43 million back in 2015. In addition, the Indonesian export value of fresh water ornamental fishes in the same year stood at US$ 14.16 million, which is below Singapore’s

FAJAR PEBRIANTO