Prabowo Targets 5,000 Fishing Villages by 2029

President Prabowo Subianto has set an ambitious target to develop 5,000 "Red and White Fishing Villages" across Indonesia by 2029. This program aims to simultaneously improve the welfare of coastal communities and strengthen the national fisheries sector. Speaking at the 28th Anniversary of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Prabowo stated, "We who have never been taken care of for decades, this year will complete 1,300 fishing villages and next year our target is 2,000 fishing villages. In 2028, another 2,000. Before 2029, our target is 5,000 fishing villages." The development of these "Merah Putih Fishing Villages" will be equipped with various supporting facilities for the economic activities of coastal communities, including cooling rooms, ice-making places, and fuel filling stations (SPBU). The government will also provide warehouses and vehicles to support the distribution of fishermen's catch to the market. Prabowo even suggested the possibility of building airports near fishing villages to facilitate the air transport of fresh fish to global markets, underscoring the necessity of infrastructure development for maintaining catch quality and expanding market access. In addition to village development, the government has ordered at least 1,500 fishing boats, up to 100 gross tons (GT) each, which will be distributed to fishing villages. "The point is that our fishermen must be taken care of because he produces protein for the Indonesian nation, he produces protein for Indonesian children," Prabowo emphasized. He stressed that attention to fishermen is part of the government's efforts to enhance food security and improve the welfare of coastal communities. Through the development of fishing villages, supported by infrastructure and fishing fleets, the government hopes to boost fishermen's productivity and make Indonesia's fisheries more competitive globally.