SEAFDEC has yet to be recognized by the global community."Palembang (ANTARA News) - Three Japanese researchers are studying freshwater fish at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Palembang, South Sumatra Province.
The researchers are expected to introduce SEAFDEC to researchers and academicians around the world, spokesman of South Sumatras Maritime and Fisheries Office Galamda Israk stated here on Friday.
"SEAFDEC has yet to be recognized by the global community. We need to conduct promotions to introduce the center, especially to the academic institutions," Galamda remarked.
The spokesman noted that the fishery center was one of its kind in the ASEAN region.
The center promotes the fishery potential of the province that has 2.5 million hectares of inland waters, covering swamps and lakes, and the Musi River along with its tributaries.
South Sumatras inland waters comprise 11 rivers and 49 tributaries, measuring a total of 920 kilometers in length and are the largest in Indonesia.
"Musi River has 221 species of fish, one of which is the clown knifefish (Notopetrus chitala H.B.), or locally known as belida," Galamda stated.
It is an ornamental freshwater fish mainly found in Sumatra and Kalimantan and also in Malaysia and Thailand.
Galamda said the administration fully supports the fisheries center by providing 1.6 hectares of land in Jakabaring, Palembang.
"We hope SEAFDEC will help to advance the fisheries industry in South Sumatra and boost the peoples prosperity," the spokesman added.
(Uu.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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