Jakarta, (Antara Sumbar) - The management of the marine and fisheries sector under the Marine and Fisheries Ministry should not depend on foreign investment, an expert said.
"For a long time Indonesian seas have been exploited by foreign investors," Executive Director of the Maritime Studies for Humanities, Abdul Halim said here on Tuesday (Sept 12).
Halim said a number of programs such as development of several outermost islands involving foreign investors has been in contrary to the spirit of the constitution.
Despite limited funds, the government is expected to be more creative and innovative in planning program using fund from the state budget, he said.
He said the government could facilitate fishermen in improving the quality of their products and open access for them to the market.
"The cost is cheap and support is needed from both regional and central government. If the central government has problem with budget, it could delegate the responsibility to regional administration. Regional administrations have to be more proactive," he said.
Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has said that sea resources should be utilized mainly for the people's interest.
In a number of occasions Minister Susi has said that she is dividing the seas into lots as the country's future lies in the seas.
Earlier the Indonesian Association of Traditional Fishermen (KNTI) said it wanted a number of strategic programs in the government's working programs to support industrialization in the fisheries sector.
KNTI chairman Marthin Hadiwinata said the road map for fisheries industrialization has been clear in the Presidential Regulation No.3 of 2017 on action plan of Acceleration of Development of National Fisheries Industry No.7 of 2016.
Marthin said a number of strategic programs to build fisheries industry such as revitalization of national shipyards and efforts to empower fishermen cooperatives is not recommended by the government in 2018 working plan.
In addition, the national policy in the marine and fisheries sector has not changed much to increase production, he said.
This is obvious from the priority program to increase food production including fish production, he added. (*)
Editor: Vicha Faradika