Bangka, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is focusing on expediting five blue economy-based programs to maintain the health of the ocean ecosystem, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has said.
"These blue economy-based programs have been undertaken to equalize economic growth in the shoreline area and improve people's prosperity," he informed while attending a mangrove planting activity on Rebo Bangka Beach here on Wednesday.
The five strategic programs include the expansion of ocean conservation areas by 30 percent, quota-based measured fishing, and the development of sustainable fish farming.
They also comprise the management and monitoring of shorelines and small islands as well ocean plastic waste clean-up through the fishermen's participation movement or the Love Ocean Month.
"Blue economy emphasizes the aspect of ocean ecosystem sustainability as a priority in developing marine economic sectors," he explained.
He urged Bangka Belitung Islands Province to implement the five blue economic programs to maintain the marine and fishery zone in the region.
"I expect that by 2045, this blue economy can happen," he said.
He emphasized that a true conservation area is a space that cannot be touched by other activities. If this can be done, there are three benefits that conservation areas can bring: they can serve as natural fish breeding grounds, they can produce oxygen, and they can act as carbon absorption areas, he informed.
At Rebo Bangka Beach, the minister planted five thousand mangroves in PT Timah Tbk's mangrove revitalization area.
"The conservation area in Bangka Belitung Islands should truly be protected," he said.
There are currently various ocean management issues in Indonesia that could potentially threaten the preservation of environmental resources.
Thus, creating a healthy, safe, resilient, and productive ocean is important for people's prosperity.
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