Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Dr. Fadel Muhammad, said that efforts to improve the welfare of fishing communities still become the priority of Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Various initiatives are conducted, one of them is intensifying national program of Minapolitan. In addition, to accelerate the achievement of social welfare, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (NOA) makes changes in orientation from the mainland to the maritime, implements environmentally sound sustainable development, and improves people's income which is fair, equitable, and appropriate. "These are the four pillars of Blue Revolution of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries as a form of vision and missions in the years 2010-2014 for community welfare," Fadel said at Seminar Room of UGM Graduate School, Monday (20/6), as a keynote speaker in National Seminar on Environmentally Sound Management of Coastal Resources and Indonesian Marine.
Fadel said that currently the Mina Pedesaan Enterprise Program (PUMP) based on aquaculture has been developed in 300 regencies/cities. In addition, capture fisheries based PUMP is developed in 110 regencies/cities and processing and marketing business-based PUMP in regencies/cities, and Community Salt Empowerment Program (PUGAR) in 40 regencies/cities. Thereby, it is expected that the welfare of marine and fishery people will rapidly increase which eventually provides a sense of justice for them because the government pays attention to them.
Therefore, the Ministry enthusiastically welcomed the desire of UGM to open Faculty of Fisheries and Marine. The Faculty is expected to generate professional Human Resources in the fields of coastal resources, marine, and fisheries. Fadel expected that these professionals will be personnel who are willing to work in regions. "Eastern Indonesia stores huge potential of marine and fisheries, Kupang and other areas do need attention. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant to go there. This is an obstacle to the development of fisheries and marine affairs there," Fadel said.
Related to the opening of the new Faculty, UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D., hoped that the plan will be realized soon. He said that the ocean is very wide areas. If this resource is well managed, it will certainly provide welfare for the community. "That is the background of why we wish to establish a new Faculty. To get to the proper management we certainly require theories and sciences because, besides improving welfare, safety will also be guaranteed," the Rector said.