President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo wants the Indonesian fishery sector to pay closer attention to modern breeding methods, such as offshore aquaculture, instead of focusing on fishing trawlers.

The government has issued a ministerial decree prohibiting the use of trawlers for environmental reasons. However, the ruling, which was supposed to have come into effect back in January, has been met with opposition from fishermen, especially in Central Java.

"Every year, we need to deal with trawlers like a never ending story. Why don’t we talk about offshore aquaculture?" Jokowi said during the Maritime Coordinating Ministry meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.

The President called for lessons to be drawn from Norway and Taiwan, which have already successfully developed offshore aquaculture industries.

Offshore aquaculture in these countries is far more productive than the traditional methods practiced in Indonesia.

"It is not expensive, one site only needs an investment of Rp 47 billion (US$3.53 million). If we cannot afford it by ourselves, then we can make it a joint venture. There will be technology transfers," he said.

"We are too monotone, too linear, while the world is changing rapidly." (bbn)