Cooperation With Singapore, KKP Strengthens Blue Economy

Minister of KP Sakti Wahyu Trenggono (photo: dock. VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has strengthened marine and fisheries cooperation with Singapore. This collaboration is specifically related to the implementation of blue economy programs.

"We are very serious about running five blue economy programs, and the Singapore Ambassador (Kwok Kook Seng) will fully collaborate with Indonesia in various fields," Minister Trenggono said quoting Antara.

The Minister of KKP said that his party was cooperating after a meeting with the Singapore Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fook Seng at the KKP Office, Central Jakarta on Friday (22/11) afternoon.

In the fisheries sector, continued Minister Trenggono, the KKP has developed measurable fishing models in Eastern Indonesia waters. The KKP also builds sustainable cultivation models for leading export commodities, namely shrimp, seaweed, tilapia, and lobsters.

Minister Trenggono assessed that the development of fishery cultivation has the potential to cooperate with Singapore. In addition to having a modeling program for shrimp, seaweed, and tilapia, his party will revitalize tens of thousands of hectares of idle ponds along the north coast of Java next year.

The revitalization of idle ponds will be used for the development of tilapia cultivation, which has high absorption power in the global market. The world value of the tilapia market is estimated at 14.46 billion US dollars in 2024 and is estimated to grow 23.02 US dollars in 2034.

"I think if we collaborate we can become champions of the fisheries sector," he said.

Meanwhile, in the marine sector, the KKP conducts spatial planning and coastal areas to maintain ecological sustainability while at the same time encouraging the economic growth of the community and the state.

Among other things, by expanding conservation areas, rehabilitating coral reefs, transforming the arrangement of cables and underwater pipes, to the action of cleaning plastic waste in the sea.

So far, Indonesia and Singapore have links in the fisheries sector. Singapore is listed as the market for Indonesian fishery products, with an export value of 113.4 million US dollars in 2023. The main export commodities include shrimp, crab crabs, ragunau, to big red.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fook Seng emphasized Singapore's readiness to support the blue economy program initiated by the KKP to increase economic growth and maintain ecological sustainability.

His party will also follow up on the potential for blue economy cooperation. Moreover, his party has discussed the KKP priority program.

He said that the discussion was how Singapore could support, including in the field of cultivation, conservation areas, joint activities in tackling plastic waste at sea.

"So I think this is a brilliant idea," said the Singaporean Ambassador.