The 2nd International Coastal Tuna Business Forum is being held in Indonesia from 27-29 May 2013, to assess the potential economic and social benefits of supporting the country’s pole-and-line and hand-line fishery.
The event, organised by Indonesia’s Ministry for Regional Development (KPDT), the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF), will place emphasis on exploring opportunities in the Eastern areas of Indonesia, which have fallen behind Central and Western areas in terms of economic development.
The Ministry believes that supporting the development of sustainable pole-and-line tuna fisheries will be of significant benefit to Eastern Indonesia and has made it a priority to enhance its activities in the sector. It intends to initiate a number of projects that will support disadvantaged coastal communities that depend on the tuna fishery.
Ir. H. A. Helmy Faisal Zaini, KPDT Minister, comments: “Pole-and-line and hand-line fishing are the most environmentally and socially desirable methods of catching tuna. It is widely accepted by stakeholders that if the tuna fishery is carefully managed and progressed diligently, it will be of invaluable benefit to Indonesia’s coastal communities and its overall economy. Furthermore, pole-and-line tuna fishery development is considered an effective solution to many of the inherent problems faced in disadvantaged Eastern districts.”
Forum sessions will include important commercial topics such as international market opportunities and access requirements, future export trends, value-added processing, and sustainable fishery certifications.
