Minister Susi and Fish Imports

Not so long ago, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said that this nation had abundant fish supplies. Since the government began its tough stance by detaining and sinking foreign vessels fishing illegally in Indonesian waters, production and exports of fish no longer fall behind those of other countries.

Ironically, last week that very same ministry announced it was granting licenses for large-scale fish imports, in order to meet the demands of the fish-processing industry. This shortage of fish, which seems odd given the huge number of fish in the sea, shows that something has not been right all along. As two-thirds of Indonesia consists of the sea, the nation should be able to fill the need for its own consumption and industry. Of course, some fish that cannot be found in Indonesian waters will need to be imported, but it is very strange that Bitung, long known as the cakalang (shipjack tuna) city, must import this fish to meet the needs of its processing industry.