REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The marine and fisheries compartment of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said the government and stakeholders must conduct a study on subsidized fuels to guarantee fishermen's survival.

Chairman of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Kadin Yugi Prayanto said here on Monday that the government had to conduct a comprehensive study to solve inconsistency in its subsidized fuel policies.

"We want the stakeholders to review this to ensure the survival of fishermen and the continuation of their operations," Yugi said.

The government should give priority to subsidized fuels for fishermen, he said.

"The next government must ensure the availability of subsidized diesel for fishermen in the coming five years," Yugi Prayanto said in a discussion on the marine affairs and fisheries' road map.

He expressed his expectation that there will be a good system, a good schedule and consistency.

"We have to see what becomes constraints, whether the constraint concerned regulations that need revision or operational problems," he added.

State-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina's move to limit the sale of subsidized diesel oil has affected fishermen in North Jakarta's Muara Angke Traditional Fishing Port and cut their fish production by about 50 percent.

Some fishermen at Muara Angke have, in the past two months, not taken out their boats for fishing due to scarce diesel oil. Some fishing vessels have had to wait for one month in queue to receive subsidized diesel fuel.

Pertamina has been limiting the sale of its subsidized diesel oil in order to economize on the subsidized quota which, if its sale is not limited, will run out by December 6, 2014.

Fishing vessels have to wait in queue up to one month since Pertamina limited the sale of its subsidized diesel oil last August.

"This happens because the volume of diesel oil distributed to us is less than the need of fishermen at Muara Angke," Bagus Rudiyono, manager of Fishermen's Fuel Refilling Stations (SPBBN) in Muara Angke, said on Thursday.

He added that since last August, the SPBBN in North Jakarta's Muara Angke has been given a quota of 3,600 kiloliters per month. "Ideally, Pertamina should supply us about 6,000 to 7,000 kiloliters per month," said Bagus.

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