Mamuju, West Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad has said he was ready to build a fish breeding center in West Sulawesi (Sulbar).

The minister said the fish breeding center would help support and increase the fish production in West Sulawesi province.

"With a coastline of around 677 kilometers long, West Sulawesi province has a very promising fish production potential that can raise the local people`s welfare," Fadel said here on Monday.

Therefore he said the fish production potential in the province should be run and managed properly for the improvement of local people`s economy and welfare.

According to him, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry would help increase fish production in the province by building a fish breeding center which has been designed by the ministry`s directorate general of aquaculture.

The minister added that the fish breeding center that would be built in 2012 was intended to increase both regional and national fish production.

"We hope that fish breeding center will increase both aquaculture and fishing operations in West Sulawesi and elsewhere," Fadel said.

Fadel admitted that besides building the fish breeding center, the maritime and fisheries ministry would also aid to help the local fishermen build cages to enable to maximize their income.

"These aid to build the cages also help maximize production in the province," Fadel said.

West Sulawesi province has potential natural resources from agriculture, forestry, oceanic and fishery, animal husbandry to plantations.

Oceanic and fishery resources of this province produce 18,456 tons of fish in 2005, consisting of 37,720.4 tons of sea fishery and 4,364 tons land fishery.
(Uu.O001/H-NG/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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