Jakarta (ANTARA) -
Indonesia’s Red and White Fishing Villages program has created 17,550 jobs across 65 coastal sites in its first phase, the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry said on Wednesday.
The jobs include construction workers, fishermen, and operational staff, averaging about 270 workers per site, the ministry added.
Capture Fisheries Director General Lotharia Latif said employment is expected to grow further as the facilities begin full operations, supporting fisheries logistics and related services.
“This increase in workforce reflects the president’s mandate to create jobs and strengthen local economic self-reliance in coastal communities,” he said in a statement.
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The first phase covers coastal regions from Aceh and Java to eastern Indonesia, including Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, and Papua. Pilot villages in Bengkulu include Penago I in Seluma district and Merpas in Kaur district.
Baca juga: Govt to begin fishing village construction in 35 additional sites
Each village is equipped with docks, roads, drainage, electricity, cold storage, ice plants, workshops, logistics kiosks, and fuel stations for fishing vessels.
The government plans to add 35 locations in the program’s second phase. The long-term goal is to expand to 1,000 fishing villages nationwide by 2029, boosting coastal employment and local economic growth.
