Jakarta, June 19, 2012 (ANTARA) - The Government of Indonesia and France through France Government Agency which operates in development sector (AFD/Agence Francaise de Developement), colaborate to conduct the Infrastructure Development for Space Oceanography (INDESO) activities aimed to control and maintain the Waters of Indonesia. It is stated by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sharif C. Sutardjo while attended the signing of Credit Facility Agreement INDESO Project in MMAF Agency, today (June 18) in Jakarta.

INDESO is a program which designed to control the condition of Waters of Indonesia, including biogeochemical and ecosystem as well as in an effort to enhance the capacity of human resources. This project is a real effort from government to control and maintain Waters of Indonesia, particularly for Coral Triangle (CT) region. In addition, other advantages which will be obtained from INDESO project is to combat Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. "This become a reason why the project has strategic value to development of marine and fisheries in Indonesia,"said Sharif.

The plan is INDESO Project will enter the implementation phase in 2012. For information, the Infrastructure Development for Space Oceanography (INDESO) is aimed to understand, analyze the models and predict the evolution of ocean circulation in the Waters of Indonesia. This Project refers to the establisment of real observation in oceanography network, adaptation of form development as well as prediction or analysis on management system to allow maintaining of sustainable fisheries by fishermen in Indonesia.

Sharif evaluate this project along with economic development of greener fisheries for the benefit of coastal communities. In addition, INDESO project is a concrete movement from both countries on biodiversity protection which will be followed by controlling and supervision of islands environment degradation impact which are more sensitive and vulnerable. Furthermore, this project is also aimed to monitor the waters in real time, stock and migration of tuna fish, helath condition of coral reef, marine conservation areas zone, and pollution which caused by oil spills.

Therefore, the project will be completed through the provision of ancillary equipments, such as antenna, IT server, computer tools, satellite data acquisition and radar. Later, these equipment are integrated to the information system to act as supporting application in decision taken by MMAF.

Through INDESO project, the use of satellite can not be ruled out which result in allowing global controlling in spatial and temporal scales. Particularly for monitoring, seasonal variation on oceanography condition (currents, temperature, salinity, primer production) and ENSO phenomenon which has negative impact to pelagic, coral reefs and coastal ecosystem. On the other hand, the use of satellite can also monitor the evolution of coral reefs and mangroves under the pressure of natural and anthropogenic, monitor illegal fishing, fish stocks management and oil spill (Ponctual).

By reviewing from aquaculture, the use of satellite can be functioned to control aquaculture activities, evaluate the conducive area to develop seaweed cultivation, monitor shrimp farming industry and inventory of suitable areas for the aquaculture; INDESO which completed with global halieutic Monitoring, Controling System (MCS) and supports to allow the fisheries resources management of adaptive pelagic to be introduced, as the establishment of coral reef and mangrove protection and/or rehabilitation plans. The plan is MMAF through Research and Development Agency of MMAF will conduct the project in SEACORM site in Bali. Later, the application will be available to SEACORM "customer", so that they can accept, process, validate and exploit the data. MMAF targetted this project will be finished in three years.

INDESO Project will be applied for three years which focus on two key activities. First, the development of ground station/ satellite reception infrastructures and its processing facility. Second, computing infrastructure development to oceanography modelling and marine biodiversity. These both infrastructure will be built in Marine Research and Observation Institution - in Perancak - Bali. Furthermore, data basis system will also be built ini Marine and Fisheries Research Institution as a Redundant Database System.

Oceanography operational-based matine resource management should be supported by three valuable components, including space based observation, in-site observation, biochemical and ocean physics modelling. These three components are valuable and necessary to understand the dynamics in the sea, so it can conduct the forecast to natural phenomenons which will be occured. "This phenomenon forecast will facilitate the marine resources management wisely and sustainable," said Sharif.

In INDESO project, the Government of Indonesia has given soft loan and grant from the Government of France through French Government Agency in development sector (AFD/Agence Francaise de Developpement). The aid of grant will be used to support capacity building activities, technical and operational aids. This is a set of commitment from Government of France to strengthen the collaboration in technical and scientific sector to increase the sustainable marine and fisheries resources. These grants are focussed to fund the INDESO Project which aimed to create new innovations in marine and fisheries sectors.

For more information, please contact Indra Sakti, SE, MM, Head of Data,Statistic and Information Center, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Mobile: 0818159705)

Reporter: Okta
Editor: PR Wire
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