MINISTRY PREPARING 60 SEAWEED CULTIVATION CLUSTERS

Jakarta, 24 (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) is preparing a plan to develop 60 seaweed cultivation clusters in the coming five years, a official said.

"We set the target of developing 60 seaweed clusters up to 2014. This is an effort to become the world's biggest seaweed producer," DKP Secretary General Syamsul Ma'arif said after opening a business dialog on seaweed business and investment opportunities here on Tuesday.

He said that up to now, the DKP in cooperation with regional governments and private businesses had developed 12 clusters of seaweed cultivation.

The 12 seaweed cultivation clusters are located in Sumenep, East Java (two clusters), Gorontalo (two clusters), Pangkep (South Sulawesi), Dompu (West Nusa Tenggara/NTB), Serang (Banten), Riau Islands, North Minahsa, Parigi Moutong (Central Sulawesi), Polewalimandar (West Sulawesi), Bau Bau (Southeast Sulawesi).

Syamsul explained that seaweed clusters were different from those of catch fisheries. The DKP is also assessing the possibility of developing of catch fishery cluster scheme, however.

"These clusters are different from those of catch fisheries because they would integrate upstream and downstream. Catch fishery clusters integrate catch area in one region only," he said.