DEPUTY Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives and Chair of the AIR Caucus of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Putu Supadma Rudana visited the OceanX Explorer ship to promote Indonesia’s marine wealth and environmental sustainability in the Tanjung Priok Port area, North Jakarta. According to him, Indonesia has great potential in the field of underwater tourism with quite a lot of diving spots.
“Indonesia is a paradise for divers with extraordinary underwater beauty. With this collaboration, we want to explore and promote more of the best diving spots in Indonesia,” Putu said in his statement, Saturday (13/7).
Putu said the OceanX ship anchored in the Tanjung Priok Port area led by Captain Peter, and equipped with a crew of between 30 and 70 people. Therefore, Putu hopes the presence of the OceanX ship can help introduce Indonesia’s marine wealth to the world.
“We call this wealth Marine Mega Biodiversity. Imagine how rich the Indonesian ocean is in this potential. With media and publications from OceanX, we can draw the world’s attention to the beauty and potential of the Indonesian ocean,” said the Legislator from Bali.
Therefore, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Member for Sustainable Development said that Indonesia needs to take advantage of this opportunity to make a documentary film that depicts the beauty and advantages of Indonesia’s oceans, in collaboration with the famous Hollywood director, James Cameron.
“We hope this film can narrate the richness of Indonesia’s seas from Aceh to Papua, including beautiful areas such as the Komodo Islands, Raja Ampat, and the Banda Sea. In fact, we hope there will be a Hollywood-class documentary that explains the beauty of our seas,” he explained.
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In addition, Putu highlighted the importance of advanced technology on the OceanX ship for more efficient ocean studies and mapping by scientists. Because, he said, as a maritime country, Indonesia’s protein sources come from the sea.
“This collaboration with OceanX Explorer is to ensure the sustainability and security of our food, especially seafood. Mapping marine areas is important to protect and maintain the sustainability of our Marine Mega Biodiversity, both for tourism, diving, and the sustainability of the marine environment,” he said.
According to him, with sophisticated mapping technology, it can ensure the sustainability of marine resources and avoid excessive exploitation which has an impact on ecosystem damage.
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“In the past, to see fish in various waters, we had to see the fish directly. But now with water DNA technology, we can know the condition of the sea and the types of fish there without having to see them directly,” said Putu.
In addition, this member of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives also emphasized the importance of local community involvement in preserving the sea. “Island communities that depend on the sea must benefit from this sustainability. They need to be involved in preserving and managing the sea for sustainable results,” he said.
Furthermore, Putu added the importance of budget affirmation and comprehensive marine regulations to maintain the marine ecosystem in Indonesia. According to him, currently the condition of the Indonesian sea is critical due to overfishing, the use of dynamite and waste pollution. “Our sea is in critical condition with damage due to overfishing and waste. This is a big challenge that we must overcome,” he said.
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He said, Indonesia already has a plan to mitigate this problem through cooperation with the OceanX organization and the OceanX ship. Of course, Putu sees this as a very positive step and needs more comprehensive budget and regulatory support to address marine issues and climate change for the sustainability of the sea for future generations.
“With this synergy, it ensures that the sea in Indonesia remains sustainable and protected from excessive exploitation, such as extreme fishing or the use of explosives. Therefore, regulations must be strengthened to maintain the sustainability of our sea,” Putu emphasized.
“We must appreciate the visionary steps of the government, especially Mr. Luhut in starting cooperation with OceanX. So far, we have not thought regarding mapping our seas in detail, both in terms of depth, texture, and biodiversity potential,” he said once more.
Therefore, Putu said it is necessary to create a long-term strategy in overcoming climate change, including the use of Seagrass Meadows and mangroves which have great potential in carbon trading which is very important to maintain the sustainability of the sea in Indonesia.
“We need a clear and comprehensive blueprint and roadmap to guard our seas. Parliament will continue to support this effort and ensure that Indonesia becomes a superpower in the marine sector. Our Seagrass Meadows and mangroves contribute greatly to capturing carbon, even more effectively than forests on land,” he explained.
Therefore, Putu said that the young generation and Indonesian scientists are also important to be involved in this research. In addition, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) must take a strategic role in this research.
“BRIN must play a role in this role. We must learn from the technology they have and ensure that we can do the same in the future. We support our young people and scientists to be involved in this research. They must be involved in every step of this collaboration,” he said.
Therefore, Putu said Indonesia needs to have a research vessel like OceanX to ensure the sustainability and security of Indonesia’s seas. In addition, cooperation with OceanX must also be directed at technology and knowledge transfer.
“So the orientation is not profit. We must take advantage of their commitment to maintaining good marine sustainability. We must have ships like this to maintain our marine potential and mitigate disasters. Indonesia is the largest maritime country, and we must ensure that our seas are safe, clean, and continue to provide prosperity to the community,” he concluded. (Z-8)
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