Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The government has asked private parties to build fish processing industry in Maluku province.

"Private parties are called on to build fish processing industry in Maluku so that the marine products can give major contribution to our economy. Let us manage the marine products properly to increase their added value and therefore let`s give an opportunity to private parties to do involve," Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said here on Saturday.

Fadel said the government had invited the private parties to play their role in fish processing industry development because the government had limited ability to do it all alone.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to attend the ongoing Sail Banda 2010 peak event in Ambon on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 and to declare Maluku as national fish barn.

Therefore, Industry Vice Minister Alex Retraubun said the opportunity for the private parties to build the fish processing industry in Maluku should be supported with good infrastructure facility and well bureaucratic service from the local government.

"If power black out happens repeatedly in Ambon, how can the fish processing industry develop well?", Retraubun asked.

Again, Fadel Muhammad said Maluku`s fishery potential could boost the province`s economy in the future if it is managed well.

"The fishery potential existing in Maluku must be used to support the economy of this region in particular and Indonesia in general," Minister Fadel Muhammad said when speaking at a symposium on "Indonesia-Australia Business and Surveillance Forum" here Friday.

The symposium was organized by the ministry as part of the Sail Banda 2010 activities.

Maluku has fishery resources totaling 261,490 tons, consisting of 980,100 tons of small pelagic fish, 295,500 tons of demersal fish, 47,700 tons of coral fish, 44,000 tons of shrimp, 800 tons of lobster, and 10,570 tons of squid.

According to the minister, the symposium is being organized from July 30 to August 1, 2010, with the objective of strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Australia in surveillance in the fishery sector especially in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). (*)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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