Indonesia to Hold Second Tuna Pole-and-Line, Hand-Line Workshop

Indonesia has been a pole-and-line tuna fishing nation for countless decades. Today, this traditional industry is presented with a unique opportunity to exploit the unprecedented international demand for sustainably-managed pole-and-line and hand-line-caught tuna. It is widely accepted by stakeholders that if the fishery is carefully managed and progressed diligently, it will be of invaluable benefit to Indonesias coastal communities and its overall economy.

The second International Coastal Tuna Business Forum will be held at Hotel Sahid Jaya, Jakarta, Indonesia, and has been organised by Indonesias Ministry for Regional Development (KPDT), the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF).

The commercial fishing and processing sectors, along with tuna brands and retailers, are invited to join this top-level meeting, which will also be attended by Indonesias Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, the Ministry of Public Works and the relevant port authorities.

Forum sessions will include important commercial topics such as international market opportunities and access requirements, future export trends, value-added processing, sustainable fishery certifications. The Forums full schedule will be published shortly.

Ir. H. A. Helmy Faisal Zaini, KPDT Minister, comments: The first Business Forum was staged, with great success, in September 2012, and I am excited to again be working so closely with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the IPNLF in coordinating the second edition. I am delighted to confirm we have received immeasurable support for our plans to carefully develop Indonesias coastal fishing communities from all across the international tuna industry as a result of the last gathering and I look forward to welcoming many more important sector leaders and stakeholders to these shores in May.

Pole-and-line and hand-line fishing are the most environmentally and socially desirable methods of catching tuna. Therefore, the Ministry is willing to support economic development through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), offering community grants to upgrade infrastructure in order to accelerate the sustainable development of the fishery.

Fisheries generate between four and five per cent of Indonesias GDP and provide employment for six to seven per cent of the national workforce. Capture fisheries account for approximately half of these figures. Fisheries are of particular importance to coastal areas and in the more remote eastern parts of Indonesia.

KPDT has made it a priority to enhance its activities in the fishery sector. Tuna has been selected for its export potential and value. The Ministry intends to initiate a number of projects that will support coastal communities that depend on the tuna fishery.