Will Become the Gateway to Eastern Indonesia, West Sulawesi Strengthens Sea Potential

Mamuju, Sulbarkita.com -- The Provincial Government of West Sulawesi will make a strategy to increase income in the marine and fisheries sector. This was to prepare the province that is facing the sea in welcoming the new National Capital in East Kalimantan.

"West Sulawesi is dealing directly with the National Capital. We will try to be a buffer for the National Capital in the future," said Daily Implementer (Plh.) Head of Division, Capture Fisheries, Maritime and Fisheries Service (DKP), Sulbar, Wawan Jurwanto, while holding a discussion at Ngalo Rock Café, Jalan Andi Makkasau, Karema Urban Village, Mamuju District, Sunday, November 3, 2019 night.

For this reason, said Wawan, the Governor of West Sulawesi must provide more budget allocations to the marine and fisheries sector as stipulated in the West Kalimantan Regional Medium-Term Budgeting Plan (RPJMD).

"The potential of the West Sulawesi sea is huge, but the RPJMD does not focus on the kelutan and fisheries sector," he said.

According to Wawan, in the future the management of Kasiwa Port, Lantora and Banggae will be handled directly by the West Sulawesi DKP. "So we will disburse more budget for the port because the utilization of sea products is at the port," he said.

In line with that, the Chairperson of the Sulbar Fisheries Association (Ispikani), Dr. Suyuti Marzuki said, the marine and fisheries resources in West Sulawesi were not optimally managed by the West Sulawesi Government, for example the provision of port facilities and fishing gear for fishermen.

"If possible, West Sulawesi has fishing vessels measuring 100 GT to 10 units, which is very extraordinary. Moreover, the number of Sulbar fishermen is decreasing from year to year, the government must think about it," said Suyuti.

Suyuti who oversees the formulation of the 2020 West Sulawesi RPJMD claimed to be formulating a strategy to manage marine potential. "I will make a strategy to be included in the body of regional regulations," he said.

Data compiled from the West Sulawesi DKP, the total number of fishermen in West Sulawesi in 2014 was 57,533, in 2015 amounted to 57,318, in 2016 an increase of 58,463, in 2017 the number was fixed, whereas in 2018, it dropped dramatically to 32,156 fishermen.

"The government must think about it, where are the fishermen of West Sulawesi. Have they switched professions or are there other obstacles, "Suyuti said.

Erisusanto