The government is ready to build an integrated maritime affairs and fisheries center (SKBT) in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, in 2017, a minister has said.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the development of the center was aimed at realizing the government's program to make Indonesia the world's maritime axis.
The minister added that Indonesia, which is washed by four oceans with huge and diverse maritime and fisheries potential, must be guarded, especially its outermost islands and border areas.
Susi said the SKPT would be focused on the development of small islands and border areas, in which the maritime and fisheries sector was the prime economic driver.
"The SKPT program is a concrete realization of the government's program stated in Nawacita, which aims to develop Indonesia starting from its peripheries by strengthening villages and areas within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, " she said as quoted by Antara on Friday.
Apart from Nunukan, the government through the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry will also build SKPT in Sabang, Aceh; Mentawai and Natuna, Riau Islands; Talaud, North Sulawesi; East Sumba and Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara; Saumlaki and Morotai, Maluku; and Biak Numfor, Merauke and Mimika in Papua.
To that end, Susi said the government had prepared support including 1, 010 fishing boats, fishing gear, 10 units of integrated cold storage with a capacity of 500 tons, 450 units of cultivation and two storage rooms for seaweed, 36 floating docks and other infrastructure facilities.
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