SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT

The Directorate General of Fisheries (DGF) will implement the project which will include six components. First, the DGF will establish an ice plant in Maringgai, capable of supplying ice to 300 boats and 200 fish dealers and transporters. Secondly, to help increase the yield of fishermen, the DFG will institute a functional artisanal fishery management system, setting fishing seasons and limits and collecting and generating species and marketing data. USAID will assign a special team to provide guidance in fisheries management and in making optimal use of existing boats and equipment. The third component will consist of a cage culture subproject in the Palembamg and Jambi areas of Southern Sumatra. Experiments will be carried out to determine the best local species to cultivate and the most appropriate feeding regimes (using locally available feeds). The DFG will also institute applied research and extension programs directed at freshwater shrimp and rice/fish production (components 4 and 5). Shrimp research will focus on the Malaysian Grant Freshwater Prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), a species native to Indonesia. Under the rice culture program, the Tilapia Nilotica (a currently underutilized, but economically attractive species) will be introduced. In addition, DGF personnel will direct their attention to the problem of pesticide contamination of rice fields. Under the sixth component, the DGF"s Brackish Water Aquaculture Units (UPBAP) will train small pond (Tambaks) fish farmers in modern pond management techniques. USAID will provide a data management specialist to assist the DGR in the collection and analysis of data generated by the six subprojects. Other USAID support will include long- and short-term technical assistance, U.S. academic and short-term technical training, and commodities.