Acting Governor of West Kalimantan, Harisson, has urged the provincial Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Department to facilitate direct fish exports from West Kalimantan to Malaysia, bypassing Jakarta. "Fish production in West Kalimantan has reached 31,000 tons per year, sourced from the Kapuas River and various lakes in the Kapuas Hulu area," Harisson stated while opening the 3rd Regional Meeting of the Indonesian Fishermen's Association (HNSI) in Pontianak on Sunday. He noted that freshwater fish from Kapuas Hulu are in high demand in other regions and are even exported to Malaysia. Beyond consumption, the potential of fish in Kapuas Hulu is also leveraged to boost the local economy through fish farming in cages and ponds. Harisson emphasized that improving the welfare of fishermen and optimizing the maritime potential of West Kalimantan are top priorities. "Fish exports should not go through Jakarta. For West Kalimantan, it is unnecessary to send fish to Jakarta first before exporting. We already have an export sea port in Kijing, and the regional Customs Office is very supportive and ready to assist. Therefore, the Fisheries Department needs to address this to enable direct exports from here," he said.
In addition to focusing on direct exports, Harisson highlighted several other critical aspects, such as fishermen's welfare, sustainability of marine resources, and strengthening fishermen's organizations. He believes that with a cooperative spirit, these common goals can be achieved. However, without collaboration between the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, HNSI, the West Kalimantan Provincial Government, and the fishermen, these issues will remain unresolved. "We need to come together with a strong intention to improve the welfare of fishermen. When fishermen prosper, the Provincial Government will also prosper because Regional Original Income (PAD) will increase," Harisson added. The 3rd Regional Meeting of HNSI West Kalimantan is expected to be a crucial moment in efforts to improve the conditions of fishermen through various policies and concrete measures resulting from this meeting. "The West Kalimantan Provincial Government is committed to continually supporting fishermen and ensuring that fish exports can be done directly from this region, providing greater benefits to the community and the area," he concluded.
