"Businessmen should be able to concentrate on developing fish processing industries which will create added value for fishermen," the minister said on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Bali on Friday.
He said creating added value for fishermen was in line with the mission of the marine resources and fisheries ministry in helping fishermen increase their incomes and improve their welfare.
"Production increases must be balanced with improvements in quality so that national fishery products will be able to compete in world markets," the minister said.
ATLI had 201 members engaged in different types of fisheries-related businesses among others fish catching (42 firms and 144 individuals); 14 processing firms and one fishing-boat dockyard services.
In the meantime, the number of fishing boats owned by ATLI members totaled 848 whose routine operation areas were located in the Indiam Ocean, western/southern Pacific, Banda Sea, Arafura Sea and the open seas.
(Uu.A014/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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