BATAM MEGA MINAPOLITAN

By:

Romi Novriadi

Pest and Fish Disease Supervision of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
Republic of Indonesia
E-mail: Romi_bbl@yahoo.co.id

The concept of minapolitan currently getting a lot of attention considering

geographically almost all provinces in Indonesia has meant many coastal villages
up the coast that is expected to contribute in sustaining the nation's economy.
But ironically that happened today is a lot of coastal villages that are not
advanced in terms of quality of life, low education, sales or the cultivation of the
catch to the middlemen, the lack of investment in, public institutions are not
integrated to the absence of linkages between coastal areas thus making more
difficult the developing coastal villages.

When we associate with the context in Batam, the condition is also not much
different. Hinterland communities state that many inhabit the coastal town of
Batam also experienced the same situation. Whereas if we see the terms of
geography, coastal communities in Batam city with nearly 80% area of the ocean
and potentially hundreds of islands stretching across the administrative area of
Batam into its own potential for development of marine and fisheries sector.

The minapolitan concept is the concept and development of marine fisheries with
the area-based approaches and management systems with the principles of the
region, integration, efficiency, quality, and acceleration. Currently the Ministry of
Marine Affairs and Fisheries (CTF) was working to build minapolitan area (the
area of maritime affairs and fisheries production, integrated) in 28 regencies /
cities as a pilot project to enhance fish production in Indonesia. The
establishment of the region itself minapolitan intended to increase the fish
production by cheap prices and affordable by all levels of society.

To achieve the goal of city development concept is based on marine and

fisheries, Batam able to centralize the development of various commodities of
certain fish. In other words the need for classification in a regional cluster concept
of centers of production and processing of fishery products. where each cluster is
expected to be integrated in a single system supporting infrastructure and
management of coastal and marine.
Several economically important fish species are found and can be cultivated in
Batam and its surrounding waters include: grouper (Epinephelus spp), Kakap
(Lates calcarifer), silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii), red snapper (Lutjanus
spp). and dingkis (Siganus spp). Even dingkis fish have high price in the market
of Singapore, especially on holidays or New Year Chinese Lunar New Year. This
is a great potential considering the geographic Batam also dealing with foreign
markets. In addition to the above commodities sea water, various kinds of
commodities of fresh water also has a bright chance to be developed, including:
Catfish (Catfish), carp (Cyprinus carpio), Nila. Gurame ( Gouramy spp) and
Mujahir.

Currently, many fisheries production center built by the society began to bloom.
For many marine fish production center located in rempang and Galang Islands,
where the existing islands have the potential to be optimal for the development of
fish farming. The concept of culture is generally developed is the floating net
cage and step on the net cage.. While for the freshwater fishery production
centers, spread more evenly on the island of Batam. Management carried out
both industrial and household scale. But the spread of the various production
centers is ironic when we see the extent to which the contribution of the fisheries
sector in the economic development of coastal communities. With a management
system that is not integrated and individualistic blamed to be the obstacle in the
development of the fisheries sector.

One pattern that does not correct it is the mechanism of fish sold directly to the
middleman and the competition for the "master" feed the fish are not natural.
With the above pattern, in addition to the selling price should be subject to prices
set by the middleman and usually far from the market price, the public is also
confused with the increase in prices of fish feed that is high enough. While
aquaculture production, costs incurred for fish feed almost 60% of the total
production cost. Some things that should be our common concern is how to: (a)
ensure the availability of fish feed that cheap and having high quality, (2) the
sustainability of quality fish seed availability, (3) establishment of fishery products
and processing centers (4) strengthening the marketing of fishery products. .

For cheap and good quality fish feed, Currently, the variety of formula feed are
being conducted by the research. But most important is how to bring the
government attempts to provide subsidies to the public so that the fish price
become more competitive and can be reached by all society. Current conditions
is particularly important for sea fish seem to be exclusive to be consumed by the
public.
Sustainability of the availability of seeds for cultivation program should also be
pursued. Because the seed is the initial capital in the production of aquaculture
fish.. Various things can be done is to develop household-scale hatchery as has
been successfully developed in eastern Java and Bali.. Because if we continue to
rely on seed supply from outside Batam, then the farmers burdened by the cost
of freight transport seeds. Besides, we also can not guarantee the availability of
seed from local suppliers. For that we should bear in coastal communities back
encouraged to participate to develop a scale hatchery fish of this household.

Fisheries product processing industry has become highly coveted by the

container that the aquaculture business in Batam. Because in addition to
ensuring product absorption of both cultivation and catching of fish, fish selling
prices of various commodities also become more stable. Not only fish
commodities, but the seaweed processing industry also need to be empowered
in order to get more leverage.

The last role can be developed is strengthening marketing of fishery products.

Strengthening the branding of each commodity need to be pursued. Both in the
business forum meeting or through various electronic media. The image must be
created is of Batam as a center for fish production in Indonesia with a display of
fishery production in every corner of the city. so hope to accommodate coastal
community in supporting the economic development of Batam can be realized. It
is also expected to provide input to the mayor candidates who will compete in the
2011 election. thus not only became a city of Minapolitan, but could emerge
Batam city as the Megaminapolitan with the image as one of the quality fishery
products centre in Indonesia. Hopefully ****