The Head of the Papua Fisheries Service, Iman Djuniawal, revealed that the largest fishery potential in Papua is in the southern waters, which is estimated to reach 4 million tons/year. Iman told Antara on Friday in Jayapura. Admittedly, the large potential that is owned due to geographical factors to date has two fishery processing areas located in Pacific waters and Arafura waters. To support this, supporting facilities and infrastructure are needed, including fishing ports, which have nine fishing ports spread both in the North, consisting of the Waiya Depapre fishing port, Hamadi in Jayapura City, Biak Fandom and Sarafambe.
In the South, there are five fishing ports, namely Waharia in Nabire, Pomako in Timika, Komor Asmat, Sumuraman in Mappi and Kelapa Lima in Merauke. In order to support investment, currently a mapping of marine space or zoning has been carried out so that investors who want to invest can find out which locations can be used so that they are not disturbed, considering that currently the sea has also been used to place telecommunications networks, such as submarine cables, management offshore mining to tourism. With the sea spatial planning, it is possible to explore the potential and sources of regional income which has now reached the technical approval stage of the ministry which will later be combined with sea and land spatial planning, Iman explained. as much as possible to provide welfare for fishermen and the community.
Regarding Papuan fishermen, Iman admitted that up to now 90 percent of indigenous Papuan fishermen are still categorized as traditional fishermen. In addition to still using simple and traditional equipment, such as using fishing rods, OAP fishermen only go out for a short time compared to non-OOAP fishermen who can even go to sea for several hours. two to three days. That's why his party hopes that OAP fishermen will change their habits so that they catch more, hope Kadin Fisheries Iman Djuniawal.
