The Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) of Pattimura University (Unpatti) in Maluku has forged partnerships with Japan's Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) and Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to enhance fisheries capacity, particularly in exporting tuna to international markets. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at a hotel in Ambon on Wednesday, 12 June 2024, witnessed by officials including Mohammad K Koba from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Center for Education and Training and Rawindra Ardiansah from the Bank Indonesia Ambon Representative Office. Following the signing, FPIK Dean Dr. Y Lopulalan expressed gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting its potential to benefit Maluku's fisheries sector and provide S1 graduates with opportunities for further studies at the S2 and S3 levels in Japan. "This collaboration with OPRI marks a significant milestone for FPIK Unpatti in working with Japan, alongside KKP. Future activities will focus on strengthening capabilities for fishermen," he stated. Dr. Lopulalan emphasized that with FPIK Unpatti's professors and doctoral researchers, they aim to contribute significantly to Maluku's fisheries development, fostering community welfare through research, community service, innovation, and technology. "All FPIK academics are expected to actively participate and contribute to this collaboration," he added.

This partnership with OPRI represents a first for Unpatti and a unique opportunity for Maluku to enhance its fisheries products, leveraging international standards for certification and traceability, particularly targeting markets in Japan and Europe. The initiative, preceded by capacity-building efforts led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Bank Indonesia, FPIK Unpatti, the Maluku Regional Development Planning Agency, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, included a Sustainable Fisheries in Ambon program: Coaching Clinic and Business Matching. Key speakers such as Dr. Hide Sakaguchi, President of OPRI, and Akihito Iwasaki, Senior Researcher at JICA Indonesia, shared insights on best practices in international fish certification and traceability for Japanese and European markets. Rawindra Ardiansah from Bank Indonesia Ambon also provided updates on Maluku's economy, specifically the fisheries sector's impact on national GDP. The event involved faculty, students, marine and fisheries extension workers, representatives from the Waiheru School of Fisheries, and other invited guests.

Source: https://timesmaluku.com/tingkatkan-ekspor-tuna-unpatti-teken-kerjasama-dengan-kkp-dan-japan/amboina/