Jakarta, (Antara) - Indonesia is marine and fishery resource paradise for member countries of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Executive Director of Center of Maritime Studies for Humanities, Abdul Halim, said here on Sunday.
The sustainability of the resources, therefore, need to be maintained, Halim said.
"Indonesia needs to strong call on the 21 members of IORA to comply with the national regulations in exploiting fishery resources in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)," he said.
IORA summit meeting will last for three days starting Sunday here with a theme of "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean".
Abdul Halim said the regulation on fishery resource exploitation must not be contrary to the United Nation Law on the Sea (UNCLOS ) of 1982.
Marine and Fishery Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said in a number of occasions earlier that the fishery industry needs to pay attention to sustainability and preservation of the fishery resources in Indonesian waters.
Susi in a written statement on Thursday said it is important to observe sustained yield in developing fishery industry .
Indonesia would propose accountability of all countries in eliminating illegal fishing , the minister said.
The reason is that there are still many countries committing illegal fishing in other countries' waters, she said.
The IORA summit meeting will take place on March 7, preceded by a senior official meeting on March 5 and foreign ministerial meeting on March 6.
At the ministerial meeting , there would an agreement on action plan for the next four years such as issue of women economic empowerment, declaration of prevention and eradication of terrorism, extremism and violence.
At the summit meeting, the heads of state and government would sign an IORA Concord.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said there will be a business meeting as part of the summit conference to be attended by around 250 business leaders from the IORA member countries.
The theme of the Business Summit is "Building Partnership for Sustainable and Equitable Economic Growth".
The IORA summit meeting would be participated in by 21 member countries and seven dialog partners.
Retno said Indonesia offers to host the IORA Summit Meeting as the country wants to show its leadership in the Indian Ocean Rim.
"This is part of a series of leadership Indonesia wants to play in various regions. We have played leading role in Asia and the Pacific.
"We also want to show leadership in the Indian Ocean rim , where there has been no good governance . Indonesia, therefore wants to show it leadership in this summit meeting," she said.
Retno said the IORA summit meeting is not only to commemorate 20th anniversary of the association but is also expected to put it in a higher level of importance in international forum.
The minister also said the maritime diplomacy through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is aimed at promoting the Indonesian vision of maritime axis.
"IORA constitutes a realization of Indonesian maritime diplomacy to back up the country's vision of maritime axis," Retno said here on Friday.
The minister said the Indonesian government as IORA chairman for the 2015-2017 period, has sought to synchronize the program and priorities in IORA with the vision of world maritime axis Indonesia is seeking to bring to reality .
"We see the potential in the IORA Concord, cooperation to be developed by IORA member countries has much in common with the pillars of the vision of world maritime axis," she said.
IORA Concord is a document of agreements between IORA member countries to be signed by heads of state or government of IORA member countries at the IORA Summit Meeting on Tuesday , March 7, 2017.
Five pillars of world maritime axis are management of maritime resources, maritime defense, maritime diplomacy, maritime connectivity, infrastructure and culture.
Retno said the five pillars in the Indonesian vision of world maritime axis are conformed with a number of types of cooperation in the IORA Concord, such as cooperation in fishery management, maritime security and safety , connectivity and port cooperation and small and medium enterprises, promotion of sustainable fishery industry.(*)
