ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The governments of Indonesia and Vietnam have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Fisheries cooperation is among those being strengthened, especially in the development of lobster, tuna, and seaweed cultivation.
The increase in cultivation cooperation was marked by the signing of the Implementing Arrangement (IA) document between the Directorate General of Aquaculture of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the Directorate of Fisheries and Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
The document was then shown by the Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam, Phung Duc Tien to the President of the Republic Prabowo Subianto and the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (PKV) Tô Lâm at a state event at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday, March 10, 2025.
“By strengthening this cooperation, it will bring us closer to the shared ideal of making Indonesia and Vietnam the champion producers of fishery products in the ASEAN region,” said Minister Trenggono in an official broadcast in Jakarta, Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
Both parties also agreed to exchange information related to aquaculture regulations and data, increase cooperation in cultivation technology, trade, and marketing of fishery products, and encourage investment and partnerships between business actors in this sector. The cooperation also includes aspects of education and training, including the exchange of government officials and scientists in order to develop human resource capacity in the field of aquaculture.
As an implementation mechanism, both parties will form a Joint Cooperation Group, which meets routinely at least once a year to review the development of cooperation and formulate strategic steps going forward. The agreement is valid for five years from the date of signing and can be extended through a written agreement between the two parties.
Sustainable Cultivation
Indonesia is currently the second largest seaweed producer in the world with an average production of more than 9 million tons per year. To increase the competitiveness of the seaweed produced, the Indonesian government is developing a downstream program so that the products produced are more diverse with higher selling value.
Currently, the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has built an environmentally friendly seaweed cultivation model covering 50 hectares in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi. The cultivation process no longer uses plastic as a seaweed float, but coconut shells so that it is safe for the ecosystem. In addition to seaweed, tuna cultivation is also being developed in eastern Indonesia by the private sector.
“We show our commitment to managing sustainable fishery resources. Our potential is very large, and we want to maximize it to increase economic growth while maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem,” said Minister Trenggono.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said that strengthening cooperation in developing sustainable fisheries is in line with the good relations between the two countries.
He also asked for support from the Indonesian government to encourage deeper and more real cooperation in the fields of science, technology, and fisheries trade. Both parties also agreed to jointly combat the practice of smuggling lobster seeds.
“We have taken firm steps to eradicate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices (IUU Fishing),” said Phung Duc Tien. (AT Network)
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