Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesian Institute for Sciences or LIPI states that Indonesia’s marine potential if converted to currency could reach up to Rp1,772 trillion (US$124 billion) which generates from the country’s 6.3 million square kilometer with Exclusive Economic Zone of a total of 2.7 million square kilometer with 99,000 kilometers of coastline long and mass potential of nine billions tons of water.
On Earth Day discussion, ” Research to Optimize Natural Potential and Indonesia’s Marine Economy”, Puji Rahmad, a researcher of Oceanography Research Center, said that Indonesia as an archipelago country has tremendous marine ecosystem.
First, water resources which produces direct and indirect functions. Second, a total of 12.5 million tons of fish resources. Third, 25,000 square kilometers of coral reef. Fourth, 32,400 square kilometers of mangrove. Fifth, 2,900 square kilometers of seagrass and other biota.
Furthermore, Rahmad said that the indirect function of ocean resources means that oceans as carbon storage, alternative food and medicine resources, mining and marine bioprospecting.
Meanwhile, ocean waters directly has and possess values, such as Indonesia has arlindo current resulting to its biodiversity richness, strategic location connecting Pacific Sea and Indian Ocean placing the country’s oceans as international marine traffic.
“Indonesia also has 8,500 fish species, 7,200 species are from oceans. Based on Ministry of Marine and Fisheries data, in 2018, fish in Indonesian waters reach to 13.5 million tons with potentials of Rp312 trillion (US$21 billion),” said Rahmad in Jakarta on Monday (22/04/2019).
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Furthermore, Rahmad said that LIPI made rough calculation on Indonesia’s marine potential using emergy methodology, which comprises fish potential worth of Rp313 trillion (US$22 billion), coral reef worth of Rp45 trillion (US$3 billion), mangrove worth of Rp21 trillion, seagrass worth of Rp4 trillion (US$282 million), coastal potential worth of Rp560 trillion (US$39 billion), biotechnology worth of Rp400 trillion (US$28 billion), marine tourism worth of Rp20 trillion US$1.4 billion), natural resources from oil potential Rp210 trillion (US$14 billion) and marine transportation Rp200 trillion (US$14 billion).
In total, Indonesia’s marine potential reaches to Rp1,772 trillion (US$124 billion) or equals to Indonesia’s State Budget in 2018.
“The rough calculation I did based on emergy methodology, which is a modelling of energy available from one type previously used directly and indirectly to make a service or product to be assess thoroughly. It means biodiversity can be assessed its function from before use, to after use and what kinds of impacts the use of biodiversity will be clearly revealed in the result of emergy methodology,” said Rahmad.
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Furthermore, Rahmad said the method shows values, stimulates prediction in the future, applied in the policy, and determine policy for sustainability. Unfortunately, the method is considered new and only LIPI as government-run agency implement it.
“The method is important to evaluate our marine richness to improve people’s awareness and becomes the foundation for optimum function. Methodology of energy is created by Odum in 1996 and only recently being implemented in US, Japan, China and Korea since 2005. So, if there’s any oil spill pollution in Montara, ecological loss can be counted,” said Rahmad.
In addition, Rahmad said that emergy methodology counts data of wave, current, and photosynthesis as one of marine biota for several years after being formed, divide it with total areas per square meters or per volume.
Reports by Dewi Purningsih
21 Apr 2024 
