RI, Australia conduct research in Ashmore Reef

Antara News, Thursday, February 11, 2010 02:25 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian and Australian governments planned a joint fishery survey and research in the Ashmore Reef to settle the dispute in the MoU Box area.

Head of the International and Inter Institutional Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs Anang Nugroho said in Jakarta Wednesday that with regard to the settlement of the dispute between the two countries in the Ashmore Reef region as agreed in the MoU Box, the two sides discussed several things including the important joint survey and research on fishery commodities in the region.

In addition, he said, conservation in the MoU Box region is linked to the method of fishing molluscs of the traditional fishermen, and the alternative livelihood implementation under the Coastal Community Development program.

He added that the joint research in the region is aimed at obtaining joint data on the availability of fish stocks in the region, so that it would be clear what species need conservation.

In the meeting between Minister of Marine and Fishery Affairs Fadel Muhammad and Australian Ambassador Bill Farmer, he said that the discussion also touched on bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In the marketing of fishery products under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

Identification of the management of the Arafuru marine ecosystem through the Australia Timor Sea Forum (ATSEF) and fostered institutional cooperation through the Coral Triangle Initiative forum was also taken up, Anang added.

The two, he said, also discussed joint fishery management like tuna and carp fishery data and information system in East Indonesia.

In addition, they also discussed the development of method and database by logbook, and observer program for tuna and red carp fishery.