TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said that illegal fishing eradication efforts have increased fishermen's productivity. Susi added that Indonesia's marine biomass grew two folds since the government took assertive actions against illegal fishing activities.
"Therefore, fish products in 2015 increased to above 2 million tons," Susi said in her public lecture at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) on Friday, February 3, 2017.
Roughly speaking, if the fish products are sold for US$1 per kilogram, the revenue generated from 2 million tons of fish products equals to US$ 2 billion.
Susi admitted that she was surprised to see the numbers presented by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
"We also saw that the fishermen exchange rate increased from 102 to 110. The raise of the fishing business exchange rate is even more dramatic," Susi revealed.
Susi viewed that the increase in fishermen’s income was favorable amid the removal of fuel subsidy for fishermen, high inflation rate, and price hikes.
"It's an achievement resulted from policies and hard works shown by the people at the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry," Susi said.
ANWAR SISWADI
