Reform in Fishery Sector Needs Courage and Consistency: Susi

Jakarta, (Antara) - Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said reformation of the fishery sector is not easy but it has to be carried out to preserve the sustainability of the marine resources.

The process would need not only long time but courage and consistency, the minister said.

"We have started the process of reform in the first month I was installed minister," she said   at a forum of business and investment in sea fishery sector here on Wednesday.

One fundamental reform in the marine sector is eradication of illegal fishing  in Indonesian waters, she said.

She said in the past year, Indonesia led in giving view to eradication of illegal fishing globally.

She said illegal fishing is related to other crimes such as human traffic, and slavery of fishery workers  and damage to marine fauna and flora.

 Earlier the minister said all policies related to  business in the marine and fishery sector have been coordinated with the cabinet.

"I discuss  my jobs with the president (Joko Widodo)," she simply said  when asked to comment on reports about Vice President Jusuf Kalla asking her to evaluate her policy allegedly causing a decline in fish processing production in a number of areas such as North Sumatra and Maluku.(*)