"The tuna industry will face a grave challenge in the future as demand is high," Directorate General of Fishery Processing and Marketing Saut P. Hutagalung said here on Tuesday.
With regard to the eco-friendly fishing program, the government has established a moratorium policy on expired permissions of foreign vessels in accordance with the ministerial regulation on the prohibition of destructive fishing devices.
The regulation was established to strengthen the state`s sovereignty in the fisheries sector so that it can be developed to improve the community`s welfare.
According to Hutagalung, Indonesia is promoting the use of poles and lines and the handline method for tuna fishing. They are environment-friendly fishing methods that involve the use of fishing rods. As much as 150 thousand tons of tuna per year can be caught using these techniques.
He added that their use had increased the income of local fishermen.
"The fisheries sector hires some 11 percent of the national labor force. They are the traditional fishermen," Hutagalung stated, adding that the pole and line and handline techniques help the community alleviate poverty, improve livelihoods, maintain businesses and promote economic growth.
Moreover, it is estimated that one third of the world`s tuna is caught using unsustainable methods, while about 66.7 percent of the total is caught using sustainable methods.
According to data obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2014, over the last five years, Indonesia became the second-largest tuna producer in the world, supplying 16 percent of the total global production.
In addition, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) recorded a surplus in the first quarter of 2015 in Indonesian fisheries production in the trade sector. Tuna was the most exported product, contributing the highest amount of US$89.41 million. (WDY)
: I Gusti Bagus Widyantara
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