RI is world`s fourth largest sea fish producer

Thursday,13  August 2009

ANTARA News Agency

Indonesia catches around 64 million tons of sea fish annually making it the fourth largest producer of the commodity in the world, a fisheries official said.

In addition to sea fish , Indonesia also produces five million tons of freshwater fish annually, according to Aji Sularso, the marine and fisheries ministry`s director general of marine resources and fisheries control and supervision, here on Thursday.

China remained the world`s largest fish producer with a total catch of over 100 million tons annually, he said.

Indonesia has intensified its fight against illegal fishing activity in the country`s waters in cooperation with several other countries, he said.

Last February 2009, Indonesia and Australia launched a joint campaign against illegal fishing among fishermen`s groups in South Sulawesi.

Australian ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said on the occasion the campaign was an important part of the two countries` joint efforts to ensure the sustainability of fishery resources on the two sides of their border.

Indonesia as well as Australia, he said, had suffered because of illegal fishing by foreign citizens. Therefore, the two countries were determined to eradicate the activity that could destroy the fish stocks on which the livelihood of many people depended.(*)