Maluku ready to become nation`s fish production center: Deputy Governor

It means that the marine potential of Maluku Province is huge."

Ambon (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian province of Maluku is ready to become the nations fish production center, as the province constitutes 30 percent of the national fishery output, according to Deputy Governor Zeth Sahuburua.

While opening National Press Day and Maluku Expo 2017 here on Monday, Sahuburua declared that the province was ready to become the center for fish production in the country.

He stated that the national fish production is nine million tons per year, and 30 percent, or around three million tons, come from Maluku from the waters of Banda, Seram, and Arafura seas.

Malukus waters serve as a habitat for more than three thousand fish species and several hundred identified coral species, with the numbers still rising, and even the healthiest of Caribbean reefs only have 10 to 20 percent of the species in terms of diversity compared to the reefs in Ambon, in particular, and Maluku, in general.

The waters of Ambon and Maluku are blessed with various kinds of fish, such as devil scorpionfish, strange octopus, boxer crabs, leaf scorpionfish, nudibranchs galore, weird frogfish, shrimps, stargazers, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Rhinopious, loads of frogfish, Cockatoo Waspfish, and ghost pipefish.

"It means that the marine potential of Maluku Province is huge," the deputy governor remarked.

Further, Sahuburua added that President Joko Widodos presence in Ambon on Feb 9 to attend the main event of National Press Day will demonstrate that Maluku is ready to become the center for fish production in the country, as the province is the barometer of Indonesias marine wealth.

Maluku has 600 thousand square kilometers of sea, with extensive marine resources for the local communitys prosperity and to support its economic growth.

The government had declared Maluku a center for fish production in the country, as the province is home to one of the most incredibly diverse marine ecosystems in Indonesia.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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