The government continues to encourage fishermen to increase production, both of capture fisheries and aquaculture."
Kendari (ANTARA News) - Southeast Sulawesi has recorded a 30 percent rise in exports in 2016 as compared to the previous year, Akabul Kijo, the provincial head of Marine and Fisheries, stated.

"Based on the data from fish quarantine, quality control, and safety of the fishery products station of Kendari City, the total export value of Sulawesi Tenggaras fish and fishery products reached Rp53.1 billion in 2016," Kijo stated here on Saturday (Jan. 7).

Octopus and shrimp continued to dominate export commodities among certified fishery products.

"Some 81 shipments, weighing 1277.46 tons of fishery products, worth Rp41.5 billion, were exported," he revealed.

The main export destinations were the US, Japan, Croatia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and South Korea.

Moreover, other exports of 77 shipments were dominated by grouper and crab, worth Rp8.6 billion, he noted.

"The total volume of fishery products exported to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan reached 3,298 kilograms, while the exports of octopus to Japan and the US were worth Rp2.8 billion," he remarked.

Southeast Sulawesi has huge potential for fisheries, as it is surrounded by the Bone Bay Sea, Banda Sea, and Flores Sea.

"Of the total 17 districts and municipalities of Southeast Sulawesi, only East Kolaka District has no coastline," he pointed out.

He further added that nine districts and municipalities in Southeast Sulawesi located in the archipelago areas are Konawe Island, Wakatobi, North Buton, Muna, West Muna, Buton, South Buton, Central Buton, and Baubau apart from areas of Bombana District.

"The government continues to encourage fishermen to increase production, both of capture fisheries and aquaculture," he said.

Moreover, Kijo noted that the marine waters of Southeast Sulawesi hold huge potential for the welfare of the local people, if it is managed properly and sustainably, since the marine areas of the province are rich in various species of fish and diverse biota of high economic value.

"Southeast Sulawesi Province, comprising 651 islands and having a coastline stretching 1,740 kilometers, not only contains a wealth of fisheries and marine life but also has huge potential for the development of fish farming and fishing industry," Kijo added.

(Reported by Suparman/Uu.M052/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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