Boat with illegal migrants sinks off Indonesia, 300 missing

Reuters, Jakarta, Sat Dec17, 2011

(Reuters) -A boat carrying illegal immigrants heading for Australia sank off the coast ofeast Java in Indonesia and over 300 people were missing with many feared dead,a senior emergency official said.

Only 76people of 380 people on board had been rescued, said Sahrul Arifin, the head ofemergency and logistics at the East Java Disaster Mitigation Center.

He saidstrong waves wrecked the wooden boat about 90 km (56 miles) out to sea lateSaturday night. "Our search and rescue team have begun sweeping the wateraround where the accident took place but we are now sending body bags to thatarea," Arifin said.

He said thepassengers were mainly believed to be illegal migrants from countries includingIran and Afghanistan. Many boat people from the Middle East and Asia useIndonesia as a transit point en route to Australia.

Local TVshowed images of more than a dozen shocked-looking survivors huddled in aclinic in Trenggalek, a town on Java island's southern coast.

Manyeconomic migrants from the Middle East attempt to cross the Indian Ocean inboats in search of a better life in Australia.

Australia-basedrefugee advocate Jack Smit told Reuters first reports indicated the boat wasoverloaded. He suggested it might involve a new and inexperiencedpeople-smuggling operator trying to make money quickly, as the boat reportedlyleft from the same port in Java as another that sank recently.

"Itall points to new operators, and also the population of the boats ischanging," Smit, of Project SafeCom Inc, told Reuters. "It seems tome it's a new operator that took a risk that was too big."

Smit saidthere appeared to be an increasing number of Iranians taking to the boats andfewer Afghans than previously. He estimated that 2 to 5 percent of thousands ofasylum-seekers taking to boats in this way each year died en route, with manydeaths not reported.

Asylum-seekersoften pay thousands of dollars to board the boats, whose journeys are organizedby people-smuggling networks based in Indonesia using ramshackle vessels oftenpoorly equipped for the perilous journey to Australian waters. This sinking isthe latest of several such disasters in recent years.

(Reportingby Olivia Rondonuwu, Additional reporting by Chris McCall in Sydney; Editing byRaju Gopalakrishnan)

Govt. regulation to ease entry of foreign yachts to RI

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 12/09/2011

Thegovernment will facilitate the entry of foreign yachts to Indonesia with thepublication of the Presidential Regulation on foreign passenger ships toIndonesia.

“Theregulation is intended to provide facilities for foreign yachts to visitIndonesia,” Deputy to the Coordinating Economic Minister for Trade and IndustryEdy Putra Irawadi said Friday as quoted by Antara news agency.

He saidthat the regulation would become the legal basis that guaranteed ease of entryfor foreign yachts coming to Indonesia.

Edy said hehoped that the regulation could help encourage investment in Indonesia,especially in the tourism field.

He saidthat he hoped visits by foreign yachts to 18 harbors in Indonesia wouldincrease to 1,000 yachts in 2012 and to 2,000 yachts in 2013, from about 400yachts this year.

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Govt relaxes regulations on foreign yacht calls

US to stop providing maritime equipment aid to RI

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Fri, 11/04/2011

The UnitedStates has decided to stop providing aid in the form of maritime equipment toIndonesia due to economic considerations, Maritime Affairs and FisheriesMinister Sharif Cicip Sutardjo said Friday.

“[The USgovernment] has said it will temporarily stop providing equipment aid inNovember because of an economic deficit problem, so ship aid will be stopped,”Sharif said at a press conference after meeting the US ambassador to Indonesia,as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

InSeptember 2007, Indonesia and the US signed an agreement to cooperate throughthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) foundation, in thefields of research and technology and applications in maritime affairs andfisheries.

Since then,the US has provided Indonesia with sophisticated equipment including ships thatcan photograph and observe underwater life.

The US hasnot officially announced the decision as yet, but is likely to do so before theend of the year, Sharif said.

The US’technical maritime assistance to Indonesia is worth up to US$35 million, hesaid.

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RI, US continue marine cooperation

Govt eyes more cruise ship visits to RI

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 10/08/2011

Thegovernment plans to separate industrial and tourism ports to bring moreinternational cruise liners to Indonesia due to growing demands.

“We have toprepare our ports because they are crowded with cargo ships. Internationalcruise tourists want to see the beauty of the port,” Firmansyah, the Cultureand Tourism Ministry’s director general for tourism development, told TheJakarta Post at his office on Friday.

He saidthat the ministry was collaborating with port operator PT Pelindo I and II aswell as local administrations to improve ports including Tanah Ampo and Benoain Bali, Tanjung Mas in Central Java, Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Belawan inNorth Sumatra and Palopo in South Sulawesi.

“We have toadmit that we are lacking ground handling facilities. We are working hard sothat more international cruise ships can visit Indonesia,” he said, adding thatthe cruise industry had a lot of promise in Indonesia.

As ofSeptember 2011, there were 178 cruise ship calls with 113,766 passengers comingto Indonesia, while in 2010, that figure stood at 198 for the calls thatbrought 94,228 passengers.

In 2012, hesaid that as many as 215 calls have been scheduled to visit Indonesian ports,bringing 137,279 passengers.

He addedthat 2,000-passenger cruise ships had anchored twice in Tanah Ampo this year,including the Australian Sun Princess, which anchored at Tanah Ampo on July 17.

SunPrincess was the first ship to make a stopover after several others canceledtheir visits due to unfinished docking facilities. With 2,100 passengers and880 crew on board, the ship made its final stopover in Tanah Ampo beforereturning to Fremantle, Australia.

Kicking offits journey in Fremantle, the ship went to Padang, Langkawi and Singaporebefore heading to Vietnam and Cambodia.

“Tanah Ampostill needs a wharf extension to be able to accommodate cruise liners, and weare working on that,” Firmansyah said.

The currentpier is only 154 meters long, while the international standard is at least 300meters.

Constructionis unfinished, despite being was initiated years ago, for lack of around Rp 200billion (US$23.6 million) budgeted by the central government.

Althoughdocking facilities are not yet finished, cruise ships can anchor some 400meters away from the wharf and small boats bring passengers and crew to afloating jetty to reach the terminal.

However,Firmansyah was upbeat that the dock would be finished soon because Pelindo andlocal administrations have felt the benefits. “Indonesia gets at least $1million from cruise liner business a year,” he said.

Indonesiaalso plans to make Bali a hub cruise port that will connect several potentialports for foreign tourists in 2014, he said.

From Bali,cruise liners will travel to Semarang, Jakarta, Palopo, Flores and back toBali.

Theministry is still choosing between Benoa and Tanah Ampo as the hub. However, hesaid that if Benoa were chosen, it would take much more work and time. (nfo)

Ministry to build 16,000 houses for fishermen

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 10/06/2011

The PublicHousing Ministry says it will build around 16,000 affordable across thecountry, especially for fishermen.

“We willbuild around 16,000 very inexpensive houses for fishermen. The locations willbe all throughout Indonesia and will later be determined by the MaritimeAffairs and Fishery Ministry,” Public Housing Minister Suharso Monoarfa saidThursday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said hehoped that the houses, to be priced between Rp 6 million (US$672) and Rp 11million, would reduce the backlog of housing in the country and also improvethe prosperity of fishermen.

“Althoughthey [fishermen] go to sea for two to three weeks at a time, they have homes toreturn to. Of course we don’t want them living in uninhabitable houses. It ishoped that through this cheap housing, fishermen and their families can have abetter quality of life,” he said.

Tourism minister to organize Sabang yacht festival

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Sun, 09/04/2011

Tourism andCulture Minister Jero Wacik says his ministry is now in the middle of preparingan international yacht festival that will take place in Sabang Island, Aceh,mid this month.

Dubbed theInternational Regatta Festival, the event is expected to attract yacht ownersfrom the world over.

“So far, 26yachts from Europe, Asia and Australia have registered to participate in theevent,” he said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Jero Waciksaid the festival is a joint cooperation between Malaysia’s Langkawi tourismresort and Thailand’s famous Phuket beach. He said the event will begin onSept. 13 in Phuket and then continue to Langkawi before wrapping up in Sabang.

He said theend of the regatta would be marked with an event honoring Aceh’s tsunami victims.

Indonesia - Korea to Build Marine and Fisheries Institute in Karawang

Antara News, Wed, July 6 2011

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Jakarta, July 6, 2011 (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and Korea Marine Institute (KMI) agree to build national Marine and Fisheries Institute in Karawang, West Java.This educational institution which was built in 2012 is the development from Fisheries College (STP) and Fisheries Academy (AP) to become a world-class educational institution. "To realize this program, Karawang Regency has prepared a land area of 65 Hectares. While the budget of 300 billion rupiah will be borne together by the Indonesian and Korean Government for each 150 billion rupiah," explained Head of Marine and Fisheries Human Resources Development, Syarief Widjaya, after opening Indonesia-Korea Ocean and Fisheries Forum (IKOFF) today (6/7) in Jakarta.

The effort to realize this program, KKP previously has done the partnership with the Ministry of National Education so that this marine and fisheries institution can be a world-class higher educational institution and become the Top ten marine and fisheries vocational education in the world. This higher educational institution aims to make superior and characteristic experts to compete in the world of work for national or international level, as well as for make the young enterpreneurs in marine and fisheries sector.

The International Seminar of Indonesia Korea Ocean and Fisheries Forum (The 1st IKOFF) filled with the explanation from leading experts and practitioner in marine, maritime, and fisheries from Indonesia and Korea with three sub-themes, which are sustainable preservation and development of marine and coastal; new source of technology and creative activities of marine. One day before, KKP and KMI has done the signing of Letter of Intent (LoI) to increase partnership in marine and fisheries sector between Indonesia and Korea. This agreement signed by Secretary General of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Gellwynn Jusuf with the President of Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Hak So Kim, also witnessed by Chairman of Land, Transportation, and Marine Affairs Comission of the Korean House of Representatives, Kwang Keun Chang.

KKP and KMI will be looking for the opportunity to increase partnership in scientific and marine and fisheries research, development and enhancement the capacity of marine technology, marine resources for alternative energy, sustainable and integrated management of marine ecosystem and coastal, fisheries biological resources conservation, the establishment of marine policy study centre, including marine and fisheries," explained Fadel. According to him, these opportunities will be achieved by training, workshop and increasing of other building capacity, such as research and joint development, exchange of experts, information, and related data. For the implementation of this agreement, KKP and KMI will appoint each vocal point to discuss more about operational stride.

For further information, please contact Dr. Yulistyo Mudho, M.Sc, Head of Data, Statistics and Information Center, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Mobile: 0811836967)

Indonesia Commemorates "World Ocean Day"

Antara News, Thu, June 16 2011

Jakarta, June 16, 2011 (ANTARA) - In commemorating the "World Ocean Day" (WOD) or World Marine Day, today (15/6) Indonesia commemorates for the first time "World Ocean Day", which was set up by the United Nation in 2009. In his speech, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister, Fadel Muhammad, said this commemoration will be a momentum for people to contemplate, initiate, and take steps to deal with challenges in global community related to the ocean. "Local government must be aware with the importance to build the ocean as the nation's future," said Fadel.

According to Fadel, ocean has important function with food security, nutrition security, health and the existence of all aspects in life. Ocean has power to affect directly or indirectly the climate and earth which we all live. In everyday life, we receive marine service from the transportation, consumption, and recreation.

Meanwhile, the Defence and Security Minister, Poernomo Yusgiantoro, whose participate in commemoration of WOD said the archipelago security can be synergized with the use of small islands to save the ocean. Small islands in border region have double functions, such as ocean security and developing economic potential in this region. Poernomo said as many as 12 islands in this border region become a priority to implement those double roles such as Nipah Island, Miangas Island, and Berahla Island. Nowadays, people around the world deal with the piracy and armed robbery ship issues, which was happened in the last couple of years in Somalia Waters. The role of ocean as trading route is very important because 90% transportation of goods in the world is through the ocean. "Because of that, the ocean security is important to support economic activities in this region," he said.

Indonesia is the biggest archipelagic country in the world with 70% its territory is ocean and has 17,480 small islands.According to this geographic fact, Indonesia has done two strategic things such as; first, Juanda Declaration on December 13, 1957, which stated that the inland ocean is a jurisdiction area of the Republic of Indonesia. Second, the implementation of amandement to the Constitution of 1945 in 2000 so that the article of 25A stated that "The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelagic country". For this statement, the national development budgetting system should be based on the concept "Archipelagic State", rather than today's system," said Rompas Max Rompas, Secretary of National Marine Board (Dekin).

The Ocean Day is commemorated on June 8, 2011 since the United Nation set the date on its General Assembly in 2009. This idea has been proposed by Canada on June 8, 1992 in Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since that day, all countries commemorate World Ocean Day because ocean is an important life's chain. The commemoration of WOD this year has theme "Our Oceans" : Greening Our Future", which means "Our Ocean, Preserving Our Future."

On this occasion, the Archipelago Day 2011 will be inaugurated in Dumai, Province of Riau and the Ministry of Defence and Security is the chair to host this event. The discussion panel which brings the topic of discuss, initiate, 'sue' the implementation of the Constitution of 1945 amandement, article 25A which was set by the People's Consultative Assembly in 2000. This discussion panel was attend by Anna Mu'awanah (Vice Chairman of Commision IV DPR-RI) and Professor Jimly Asshidiqie (Legal Expert of State Administration), moderated by Mukhlis Yusuf, Managing Director of Antara News Agency.

For further information, please contact Dr.Yulistyo Mudho, M.Sc, Head of Data, Statistics and Information Center, The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Mobile 0811836967)

Government prepares US$5 Million to preserve coral reefs

Antara News, Mon, May 30 2011

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Wangi-wangi, SE Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government prepares US$5 million funds for sustainable preservation and management of coral reefs at the world coral triangle in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi.

"The Indonesian government through President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono provides five million dollars for sustainable preservation and management of coral reefs in six countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI)," CTI spokesman Imran said in Wakatobi on Sunday.

Speaking at a meeting of the Association of District Administrations (APKASI) Imran said there there were two reasons Indonesia wanted to play a major role in preserving coral reefs in the six CTI member countries.

He said the first was that Indonesia has wider coral reefs than those of the other five other countries and was prepared to turn 20 million hectares of mining areas into national marine parks.

And the second, Indonesian waters have the most diversity of coral reefs namely 70 species of the world`s 850 species.

"The Caribbean sea has only 50 coral reefs and the Red Sea only 300," Imran said.

He added that besides having a very rich variety of coral reefs, Indonesian waters, especially in Wakatobi district, have various natural resource potentials for millions even billions of people.

Therefore, coral reefs in Wakatobi must be protected from damage to make them to remain sustainable for a certain period of time.

"The management and utilization of natural resources in Wakatobi waters at the center of world coral triangle should consider the principles of sustainable use," Imran said.

He said that to support the management and utilization of natural resources in Wakatobi waters, the government of Indonesia through the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry would soon establish a Coral Reefs Conservation School in Wakatbi.

The first school in ASEAN and even in the world, was scheduled to be inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in conjunction with the opening of Sail Wakatobi-Balitung 2011 later.

"The establishment of Coral Reefs Conservation School in Wakatbi is part of the government attention to protecting and preserving the coral reefs from damage," Imran said.

Editor: Ella Syafputri

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Govt aims to produce 4,000 qualified sailors a year

Arghea Desafti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/25/2011

The Transportation Ministry has announced plans to produce 4,000 sailors annually to meet increasing demand.

“We are currently producing 1,500 [graduates] a year from our state-owned sailing academies [STIP]. Hopefully we can increase the number of graduates to 4,000 next year,” Transportation Ministry Education and Training chief Bobby Mamahit said Wednesday at a discussion on improving the quality of human resources in the transportation sector.

Ministry data reveals that Indonesia will require at least 43,800 new sailors over the next five years.

The ministry is currently operating sailing schools in Jakarta, Tangerang, Semarang, Makassar, Surabaya, Barombong and Serang.

“One of the challenges we face is that we are still seeing graduates preferring to work for companies overseas rather than here in [Indonesia]," Bobby said.

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University rectors invited to formulate fisheries curriculum

Overseas marine industries need 10,000 Indonesian workers per year

University rectors invited to formulate fisheries curriculum

Antara News, Mon, May 23 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammand will invite the rectors of a number of higher learning institutes to discuss the inclusion of maritime and fisheries-related subjects in their teaching programs to make them more compatible with the needs of the labor market.

Fadel Muhammad. (ANTARA)

"I will invite the university rectors to formulate curriculum which are adjusted to the labor market`s needs," the minister said here on Monday.

He said that there were complaints at present the subjects taught in universities were often not fit to the needs for a graduate to face employment.

Adjustment to employment is important for university graduates so that their classifications would meet the need of various companies seeking workers.

"We will invite the rectors on Wednesday to discuss this matter," he said adding that the central board of statistics pointed out there were a total of 8.1 unemployed people.

Some of the unemployed people are within the productive age between 20 and 40 years, he said.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

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Minister, ambassador launch Coral Reef and Climate Change Guide

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 05/20/2011

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad and Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty on Friday launched the Indonesian version of the University of Queensland’s publication Coral Reefs and Climate Change: A Guide for Education and Awareness.

Fadel, working in collaboration with the University of Queensland, had arranged for the book to be translated into Indonesian.

“Australia is widely recognized for its world-class research in environmental sciences. We are pleased that through this book we will be able to contribute and work together in conserving the beautiful reefs of Indonesia,” Moriarty said in a release received by The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The book aims to increase awareness of coral reef science and preservation. It includes recent scientific research with informative images and covers topics including oceanography, coral reef biology and the implications of climate change.

It provides practical tools and recommendations to chart and measure the health of coral reefs and a program to encourage public involvement in reef conservation.

The original publication was launched in Australia in November 2009 and was produced and published by the Coral Watch Foundation at the University of Queensland.

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Maluku needs Rp 17.51t for marine resources management

The Jakarta Post, Antara, Ambon | Tue, 05/17/2011

The eastern Indonesian Province of Maluku until 2016 needs a total funds of Rp17.51 trillion for its local marine and fishery resources management program.

"Such an amount of funds is needed for the programs of capture fisheries development, fish cultivation, fish processing, post harvest, fishery resources conservation, and marine and fisheries research and technology," local maritime and fisheries office spokesman Bastian Mainassy said here on Tuesday.

He said that of the Rp17.51 trillion of funds, Rp5.43 billion would be allocated to capture fisheries, Rp4.49 trillion for fish and seaweed cultivation, Rp2.56 trillion for processing fish and seaweed processing factories and their facilities, Rp2.41 trillion for human resources development, and Rp2.61 trillion for for researches.

Bastian said the need of the funds had been conveyed to Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry to be accommodated in the state budget with the involvement of private companies.

"We have the potential for sustainable fish around 1.64 million tons per year or 26.3 percent of the national fish but only 300 to 500 tons have been used per year," he said.

Bastian said Maluku fish potential was also supported by fish cultivation areas of 495,300 hectares, fresh water fish cultivation area of 36,251 hectares, and swampy water cultivation area of 191,150 hectares.

Govt To Offer 7,000 Jobs At Int`l Marine, Fisheries Fair

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Sat, May 14 2011

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The government will offer at least 7,000 job opportunities in the marine and fishery sector to job seekers at an upcoming International Job Fair on Marine and Fisheries (I`JO F.M 2011).

As part part of the government`s effort to reduce unemployment and to improve the people`s welfare, the I`JO F.M 2011 will be held in Jakarta May 23-25, 2011 to net as many workers as possible.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said here early this week that many countries had expressed their interest in recruiting Indonesian sailors in overseas marine and fishery related industries.

"Following increasing demand for Indonesian sailors from many countries, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) will make a new breakthrough to accommodate the request," Fadel said on Wednesday.

The maritime affairs and fisheries minister admitted that during his visits to Europe, many shipping companies had told him that they needed a lot of Indonesian manpower for their cruise ships.

Fadel said many countries in Europe needed more Indonesian sailors because their own people were no longer interested in seafaring jobs.

According to him, there were a lot of job opportunities abroad for Indonesian sailors and therefore his office would make a breakthrough by creating a cross-ministerial program in the form of International Job Fair on Marine and Fisheries (I`JO F.M 2011).

The minister explained that his office in cooperation with Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, National Education Ministry, and Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry would organize the I`JO F.M 2011.

Meanwhile, head of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry`s Department of Human Resources Development, Syarief Widjaya, said the I`JO F.M 2011 would be the biggest event this year.

Syarif said the event would be participated in by at least 50 leading national and international companies in maritime and fisheries fields, such as fishing companies, fish farming companies, marine and fisheries product processing companies, labor recruitment agencies and other companies.

The International Job Fair on Marine and Fisheries will be a perfect event for job seekers, marine and fisheries related education and training promotion, consultation, job applicants interview, direct recruitment for job applicants, and for opportunity to go abroad.

Syarif also explained that the national and international leading companies in the I`JO F.M 2011 would provide the Indonesian job seekers with around 7,000 job opportunities.

He said various job opportunities were among others in the fields of fishing, aquaculture, and fishery products processing and marketing would be offered to around 30,000 people who were expected visit the international job fair.

Other sectors to be offered to the job seekers in the fair are coastal regions and small islands management especially the area management and conservation of marine tourism, captains, the crews, vessel mechanics, and chefs, fish packing or canning officers, and fisheries shipping transportation services.

In a bid to arrange and manage the increasing overseas demand for marine and fisheries related manpower from Indonesia, Syarif said the government would soon build a marine manpower office.

"The joint marine manpower office is supported by Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, National Education Ministry, and Transportation Ministry," Syarief Widjaya said.

He said the joint marine manpower office, expected to permanently organize the International Job Fair on Marine and Fisheries every year, would be declared at the closure of the I`JO F.M 2011.

Besides, he added that the office of the cross-ministerial cooperation would also provide Indonesian job seekers in marine and fishery field with information about job opportunities.

He also said a lot of Indonesian sailors were working abroad at present in the fields of shipping sector, fishery management industries, and aquaculture.

Therefore Indonesian Seamen Association (KPI) Secretary Sonny Pattiselano said the government should consider the protection and safety of Indonesian sailors who were working abroad.

Sonny also highlighted the gap between domestic legislation and international policy, and said that there should be well integrated consolidation rules.

"The involvement of labor union in industrial relations in the maritime and fisheries sector should also be taken into account," Sonny said.

According to maritime affairs minister Fadel Muhammad, around 12,000 Indonesian men are currently working on board various ocean liners across international waters.

"There are around 12,000 Indonesian workers on board both domestic and foreign ships which sail across international waters at present," Fadel said in an economic-related dialog on April 12, 2011.

Fadel admitted that he obtained the data about the number after a hijacking incident of an Indonesian ship with 20 crews by Somali pirates in March.

The minister explained that thousands of Indonesian sailors spread in various regions in Asia and Europe.

According to the minister, there were around 2,000 Indonesian sailors in Spain, 600 in Taiwan, and 400 in Thailand, and 3,000 in Japan.

Therefore he said the sailors had been asked to form an association amongst Indonesian seamen.

"I have asked them to form the association and to remain getting in touch with with Indonesian embassies abroad," Fadel said.

Meanwhile, data from Transportation Ministry in 2010 indicated that the Indonesian sailors working abroad could generate foreign exchange to about one billion dollars per year.

Govt urged to reject company that polluted Timor Sea

Antara News, Mon, May 9 2011

"The Indonesian government should ask Canberra to be responsible for the Montara oil spill which has contaminated Timor Sea, he said, adding that Jakarta has not been serious enough in dealing with the pollution."

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Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara/NTT (ANTARA News) - The central government must reject the planned presence of PTTEP Australasia in Timor Sea, a local marine observer urged.

"It`s time for Jakarta to send a letter of protest to Australia concerning a plan by PTTEP Australasia to drill two oil wells in a marine border area located much closer to Timor Island and other isles in East Nusa Tenggara Province, rather than to Australia itself," Ferdi Tanoni said here Monday.

PTTEP Australasia`s Montara oil field explosion in August 2009 has caused water pollution in Timor Sea and contaminated East Nusa Tenggara (NTT ) waters covering 80,000 km2. The company has so far gotten away with the marine pollution, he said.

The Indonesian government should ask Canberra to be responsible for the Montara oil spill which has contaminated Timor Sea, he said, adding that Jakarta has not been serious enough in dealing with the pollution.

Tanoni, chairman of the West Timor Care Foundation (YPTB), told the press that the Thai-based oil company has applied for licenses to drill oil in two oil wells in Timor Sea to the Australian Federal government.

According to the application document, PTTEP Australasia wanted to drill at an area around 600 km west of Darwin, North Australia, and about 675 km east of Broome sea, West Australia.

Indonesia should express objection to the plan because the company has so far irresponsible for the pollution that it has caused, he said.

"If PTTEP Australasia said in the document that it takes care of the sea environment, it`s just a lie because the Montara oil spill case has been ignored and not handled properly so far. It has also misled the national oil safety regulators," Tanoni said.

Editor: Heru

Shore leave

The Jakarta Post, Antara, Makassar | Mon, 04/11/2011

Shore leave: The USS Guardian-MCM 5, a US warship, docks at
 Soekarno-Hatta Port in Makassar on Monday. The ship, with a crew
 of 83, will be in Makassar for two days in a goodwill mission and to
 renew their logistics. (Antara/Yusran Uccang)

Kidnapped Indonesian Sailors Plea for Government's Help

Jakarta Globe, Ismira Lutfia | April 10, 2011

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The captain of MV Sinar Kudus has pleaded to the Indonesian government to help him and his 20 Indonesian crew, who have been held hostage by Somali pirates for three weeks.

Captain Slamet from MV Sinar Kudus cargo ship.
Slamet and his 20 crews are still being held hostage
by Somali pirates. (Photo Source Metro TV)

In a telephone conversation with Metro TV on Sunday, Capt. Slamet Jauhari said he was in good health, but twelve of his crews were ill.

“There is no clean water, we are only fed once a day, and twelve of my crew are mentally crushed. To the Indonesian government, please rescue us,” Slamet said.

The 21 men were taken hostage on March 16 after Somali pirates ambushed their vessel, carrying 8,300 tons of nickel produced by PT Aneka Tamabang, in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, en route to Amsterdam.

Slamet said the pirates were demanding $2.5 million in ransom and that they had threaten to raise the amount unless they received confirmation from the ship's owner or the Indonesian government that the money would be paid.

“I am asking the Indonesian government, Bapak SBY [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] or any businessman who has the money, please save my crew,” Slamet said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Saturday that efforts were underway to secure the release of the Indonesian hostages.

"The Indonesian government is deeply concerned with this situation and we are investigating options to settle this problem as soon as possible," Marty said on the sidelines of a meeting between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

He said that the ship’s owner had been in constant communications with the pirates.

Marty declined to comment further on the efforts as he did not want to jeopardize the hostage's lives.

"For the moment we are working on their release and efforts to protect them are ongoing," he said.

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Japan`s demand for Indonesia`sidat fish increases

Antara News, Sun, April 3 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Japanese demand for young `sidat` (eel, anguilla) fish from Indonesia is increasing after the country was recently hit by an earthquake and its subsequent tsunmai, a ministry official said.

"The catching of sidat seeds in South Korea and Japan is being banned after the natural disaster while in Indonesia it is allowed," Ketut Sugama, director general for fishery affair, said here on Sunday.

He said that the need for Sidat fish in Unagi for example reached 600,000 tons while only 200,000 tons of these portion had been met.

The senior official of the Ministry of Maritime and Fishery Affairs made the remarks when attending the harvest season of `vaname` shrimps in Karawang`s Cultured Fish Production Center Project (BLUPPB), in West Java.

He said that the Japanese people liked this fish because they believed the fish could lengthen their ages, keep them at a young look and maintain their stamina.

Therefore, he said, in anticipation of the increase in the demand for the fish from Japan, his side is offering investors a cooperation to develop the fish production in Indonesia, particularly in the Karawang`s BLUPPB.

"We are opening a chance for investors to develop sidat fish breeding here but they should involved in partnership and transfer their technology to local businesses," he said.

In the meantime, head of the BLUPPB Supriyadi said a Japanese investor had now been ready to develop sidat fish in the government-owned integrated fish pond project.

He said that PT Nippon Maru was ready to run a three hectare sidat pond with an annual production target of 3,000 tons.

Of the 400 hectare fish ponds in the integrated fish breeding project, some 225 hectares are managed by the government and 152 hectares by plasm whose development later would be given to investors.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

RI, Australia agree to fight illegal fishing

Antara News, Thu, March 10 2011 

Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Australia have agreed to step up cooperation in marine patrols to reduce illegal fishing in their territorial waters.

Indonesia-Australia (istimewa)

"Illegal fishing poses a serious threat to the preservation of marine resources so such a cooperation is believed to reduce the number of unlawful activities in the two countries," minister of fisheries and marine resources Fadel Muhammad said at his office after a meeting with his Australian counterpart Joe Ludwig on Wednesday.

In dealing with illegal fishermen of the two countries, Australia has proposed that a cooperation document be made between Indonesian representative in Australia and the country`s related institution for the fishermen`s legal process in the country.

The document is relevant to "Consular Notification and Assistance" which was signed by Indonesia and Australia in 2010, but Fadel requested that some 236 Indonesian fishermen detained in Australia be repatriated immediately.

Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and Australian Home Affairs Ministry also signed a Letter of Intent on July 17, 2009 in a bid to formalize a coordinated patrol cooperation along the two countries border.

The implementation of the coordinated patrol cooperation was started in 2008 and it has yielded a positive result of being able to significantly reduce the number of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing.

In regard to a research, the two countries have agreed to further a cooperation which is focused on "fishing stocks and their interaction with fisheries aggregation devices and purse-seiners on the sustainability of tuna stocks in Indian Ocean".

It is also intended to increase the capacity building of the institution through a joint research in the field of stock assessment and case study on the management of sardine fish, lobsters, and red snapper in Indonesia, as well as bioeconomic modeling and risk management.

While in an effort to protect marine environment and biodiversity conservation, the two countries have agreed to form a new sub-working group by identifying priority issues in order to avoid overlapping issue which has been existed already in the Working Group on Marine Affairs and Fisheries (WGMAF).

Australia has submitted a discussion about species conservation including herbivorous fish or mainly reef-grazing fish which are in the list of CITIES.

While in the group, Indonesia is cooperating in marine environmental cases including marine debris, oil spill, and marine pollution.

Besides those cooperations, the two countries have also implemented a number of joint cooperations among others joint research with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO) and Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), coordinated patrol of Indonesia-Australia Surveillance Forum (IASF), Public Information Campaign, trainings and program development at the marine and fisheries resources ministry with AUSAID.

Even Australia gives facility assistance to Indonesia to arrange Coordination mechanism and financial resources so that the Regional Secretariat CTI-CFF can run well.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is of the opinion that Australia is a potential market of fisheries and marine products. Trade balance in 2008-2010 continued to increase.

Export of fisheries product from Indonesia to Australia in 2009 was recorded at US$39,311 million or rose from US$29,743 million in the previous year.

While the fisheries export of shrimp, tuna fish, pearl, and seaweed from Indonesia to Australia up to November 2010 reached US$31,33 million.

Editor: Priyambodo RH