Working visit of SEAFDEC Secretary General in Indonesia
As a series of working visits of SEAFDEC Secretary General, Ms. Malinee Smithrithee, in Indonesia, the activity continued to visit Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (IFRDMD) as one of SEAFDEC departments located in Palembang on February 16, 2023. Ms. Malinee, together with Dr. Worawit Wanchana, SEAFDEC Secretariat Policy and Program Coordinator, and Mr. Isara Chanrachkij, Project Planning, and Management Division Head of SEAFDEC Training Department, started the visit by scrutinizing the inland fisheries management model, in Patra Tani Village, Muara Belida District, Muara Enim Regency. The area serves as unique environment for the swamp.
The team was officially hosted by IFRDMD Chief Dr. Rudi Alex Wahyudin and its Deputy Chief, Mr. Tomohito Shimizu. On this occasion, IFRDMD showed one of the priority programs of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), namely SMART Fisheries Village (SFV), which is a concept of fisheries village and work unit development based on the application of digital technology to optimize the utilization of existing potential to strengthen village autonomy to be more productive and modern. SMART stands for Sustainable, Modernization, Acceleration, Regeneration, dan Technology. SFV, released by the Agency of Marine and Fisheries Research and Human Resources, MMAF, is an integrated smart fisheries village development model by collaborating with many parties (central and local governments, academics, industry, NGOs, and communities).
The SFV Patra Tani area is owned by the Research Institute for Inland Fisheries and Extension with an area of nearly 50 hectares. IFRDMD supports to develop SPEECTRA or Special Area for Conservation and Fish Refugia as a model for swamp fisheries management. The SFV Patra Tani touch has made this area a knowledge center and tourist destination that will specifically promote the conservation of various local fish species in inland waters as a tourist attraction and source of biodiversity literacy.
SFV Patra Tani attracts the attention of SEAFDEC team to promote and bring this fisheries management model to all Southeast Asian countries as a follow-up to the discussion with SEAFDEC Alternate Council Director of Indonesia, Dr. I Nyoman Radiarta on February 14, in Jakarta. IFRDMD, one of SEAFDEC departments that focuses on inland water fishery activities, can disseminate knowledge on the management that has been developed in those countries and, on the other hand, visit and learn at SFV Patra Tani.
The visit continued to the head office of IFRDMD in the Jakabaring area, Palembang. SEAFDEC team also got the opportunity to observe the facilities in the building, such as the laboratory room, freshwater fish museum, collection of fishing gears and equipment, and results of hydroacoustic in inland waters.
The visit was closed with a farewell reception with all staff in the office yard.