Bad Weather Forces Fisherman To Stop Sailing

Jakarta, Jan 18 (ANTARA) - Bad weather conditions, involving downpours and strong winds, in Jakarta and several other areas have prevented fishermen from sailing and making a living. "We have asked the government to help those fishermen who cannot sail due to the bad weather," said the Offshore Fishery Director General of Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry, Haryanto Marwoto, here on Thursday. "The government has enough rice stocks, which can be distributed to the struggling traditional fishermen in various parts of the country,� he stated. He added that the fishermen`s families should be provided with 25 kilograms of rice each so they could meet their consumption needs. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of Indonesian Parliament Pramono Anung said the government should support the Fishermen`s Protection Regulation, which was issued to guarantee the welfare of the nation�s fishermen. "The policy regarding the protection of fishermen should be encouraged, both from outside and inside the government," he said here on Wednesday (January 16). According to Pramono, the state budget will not be burdened if the government allocated some funds to the welfare of traditional fishermen. He said the government should get the nation�s fishermen involved in efforts to develop the marine sector. "The regulation will go a long way in improving the welfare of the fishermen," Pramono pointed out. Meanwhile, the Secretary General of Keadilan Perikanan Organization, Riza Damanik, said the Indonesian government had failed to implement the Fishermen`s Protection Regulation effectively. �If the government implements the regulation well, the fishing community can also help the government in its development efforts,� he added.