Jakarta, IO – Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said tuna farming technology in Turkey will be adopted by Indonesia to boost the economic value of this high-value commodity.
“Several areas of our waters are home to tuna, so we need innovation so that the productivity of this commodity can increase and its sustainability is maintained,” said Trenggono, Wednesday (24/1).
The type of tuna cultivated in the Izmir Sea is Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus). Under this system, the wild caught tuna will be slowly herded to the cultivation location.
The growing process takes five to six months in pens measuring 50 to 60 meters at the depth of up to 18 meters. During rearing, the tuna are fed pelagic fish.
Trenggono’s visit coincided with the tuna harvest season. The harvested fish are immediately shipped to Japan.
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“The tuna is frozen on the ship at a temperature of minus 60⁰C. This ensures that the quality of the tuna is maintained and the price remains high. The price of tuna is determined based on the grade in the market,” explained Trenggono. Indonesia is one of the tuna exporting countries. Based on the ministry’s data, tuna along with mackerel and skipjack are leading export commodities for Indonesian fishery products worth US$927.18 million in 2023. (rr)