Indonesian Fisheries: A Maritime Nation's Potential and Challenges

Overview of Indonesian Fisheries

• Indonesia, a maritime nation with over 17,000 islands, has a rich abundance of marine resources.
• Comprises the largest archipelago nation with 74% of the area as water.
• The Indonesian sea covers approximately 5.8 million square kilometers.
• Fishery products are significant for Indonesia, fulfilling 54% of the national protein requirement.

Marine Resources and Economic Value

• Contributes around 10% of the world’s fishery products.
• Sustainable marine resource potential is around 12 million tons annually.
• High economic value species include:
  • Tuna, skipjack, mackerel tuna
  • Snapper, grouper
  • Prawn, lobster, crab, squid, and seaweed
• Indonesia ranks third globally in fishery products and fish cultivation after China and Peru/India.

Fish Cultivation

• Potential cultivation area exceeds 12 million hectares.
• Current utilization is less than 3% of the total potential.

Challenges in Fisheries Management

• Illegal fishing is the primary threat, encompassing:
  • Fish stealing
  • Harmful methods using bombs, cyanide, and compressors
• Estimated national loss due to illegal fishing is 100 trillion rupiah.
• Illegal practices contribute to economic losses and damage marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

Optimization and Governance Issues

• Underutilization of small islands for economic development.
• Lack of optimization in fish processing industry.
• Need for synergized fisheries management governance.

Importance of Sustainable Fisheries

• Ensures the conservation of resources, environment, social, and economic sustainability.
• Focus on developing sustainable fisheries by adhering to basic principles of conservation.

These notes highlight critical areas of potential, threats, and strategies for future development in Indonesian fisheries.