John Kerry representing the President of the United States, Barrack Obama, to attend the 2013 APEC meeting in Bali stated that the United States of America clearly recognizes the dependence of over 60 million Indonesian people to the marine and fishery sectors, making America keen to improve its sustainable fishery practice by, among others, conducting partnership with the Indonesian fishery industry players - both public and private sectors. "The United States of America puts a great interest in the fishery sector," he asserted.
The Secretary accompanied by the Indonesian Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sharif C. Sutardjo, also stressed that the world is now facing the significant drop of the commercial fishery. This issue has also presently been occurred in the United States, particularly in New England, the Northeastern United States. "We (the United States) are also facing what Indonesia is facing, the significant reduction of commercial fishery. Therefore, the sustainable fishery is absolute thing to be implemented," he re-affirmed.
Visiting the Benoa fishing port area, John Kerry appreciated the fishing chain processing implemented at the port. The processing phase is instrumental given a world-qualified tuna needs a procedural handling. Among the Indonesian tuna exporters, the Anova frozen tuna produced by PT. Balinusa Windutama, is an Indonesia’s imported tuna product widely distributed in the United States.
Strategic Partnership
In the meantime, the Indonesian Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sharif C. Sutardjo, stated that the visit of John Kerry to the port shows that the Indonesian commercial fishing is compatible with the importing country's standard. Furthermore, John Kerry's visit was also to directly go through the Indonesian fishing chain processing. "He has also come to ensure the compatibility of the Indonesian fishing industry, as well as to ensure the Tuna supply certainty to the United States' market," explained the Ministry.
Sharif continued, the invitation of John Kerry to the port aims to strengthen the strategic partnership in the marine and fishery sectors between both countries. The relationship between both countries increasingly shows a positive indication marked by the increase of the bilateral trade balance in the last two years - The highest trade balance ever dealt by both countries was on 2011 with the total trade balance of US$26,5 billion. "The APEC Meeting becomes a milestone to prove the world that the marine and fishery sectors can be the national prime mover," he asserted.
In addition, the Secreatary of State of the United States also came to terms with the enhancement of the United States - Indonesia's National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The partnership aims to the capacity building of the IUU Fishing eradication, the Port State Measure development, a number of marine and fishery-related training and workshops, and the Sea Grant Partnership improvement as well as the deep sea exploration cooperation of Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region. "The bilateral cooperation can be the springboard to proceed and strengthen the marine and fishery partnership of both countries," he confirmed.
The government of Indonesia and the United States were also agreed on improving the marine economy sector. The partnership has already implemented through the program of Indonesia Marine and Climate Support (IMACS) - an aid of the USAID. Additionally, the partnership between both countries has now been expanded to other sectors; the mitigation of the environmental damage and disaster and the climate change data exchange. "We also discussed about the United States' aid on the data management. Particularly, the data of the fishery potency and the climate change, helping our local fishermen to fish effectively and safely," said the Minister.
Sharif added, both countries are also of the same mind on the importance of the sustainable marine and fishery resource utilization optimization. "The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries accordingly implement the blue economy concept with a view to sustainably, effectively, and safely strengthening the marine resource management," he concluded.
For more information, please contact:
Anang Noegroho
Head of Statistic and Data Center
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
+6221-3519070
Editor: PR Wire
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