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Empowering fishermen through technology, training
Through the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the government has introduced a program that includes training and workshops for at least 1 million fishermen in 300 coastal areas or cities around Indonesia.
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Fishermen unload a tuna fish from a boat at Ulee Lheu Port in Banda Aceh, Aceh (Antara/Irwansyah Putra)
The government aims to improve the welfare of Indonesian fishermen through digital technology by collaborating with a start-up technology company amid challenges in the fisheries industry.
Through the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the government has introduced a program that includes training and workshops for at least 1 million fishermen in 300 coastal areas or cities around Indonesia.
“The 1-million independent fishermen program is very important and has to be carried out. This includes ship repairs and painting and the dissemination of information regarding the use of FishOn technology,” said Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
The program is supported by mobile phone-based application FishOn in cooperation with state-owned PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia. The app offers useful features for fishermen, including Fish Finder, which helps them locate their catch easily; Panic Button to send an emergency signal to nearby fishermen for help; and Chat Messenger to send messages to friends or relatives while they are out at sea.
A promotional campaign for the program will kick off on Saturday at Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, West Java, before moving on to Sula Island in North Maluku on April 20-21. The workshop will involve around 1,000 participants, including representatives from cooperatives, fishermen and suppliers. The government plans to train at least 300,000 people through the program by the end of 2019.
Based on data from United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Indonesia’s ocean wealth reached US$2.5 trillion per year and only 7 percent has been utilized, mainly because of the lack technology usage that is crucial to help fishermen find the location of fish quickly and accurately.
