Biak Numfor Regency, one of the island regions in Papua Province, West Papua, Indonesia, has a total area of 15,124 square kilometers, with a land area of 2,602 square kilometers and sea of 12,522 square kilometers, consisting of the Padaido/Aimando Islands and the Numfor Islands.

Biak as a group of islands has the potential for maritime natural resources because it is located on the Pacific Ocean, north of Papua Province.

The Padaido Islands consist of small islands which are traditionally divided into two parts, namely the Upper Padaido Islands and the Lower Padaido Islands.

The Numfor Islands consist of five district governments with 39 villages, an area that also has fisheries potential in the form of crabs, shrimp and tuna. These three maritime fauna are commodities of high economic value.

In fact, the three areas of Padaido, Aimando and Numfor Islands are water areas that are rich in fisheries and marine resources because they are inhabited by around 200 marine biota belonging to 58 families.

Apart from being rich in various types of flora, the waters of Biak Padaido/Aimando and the Numfor Islands have a wealth of maritime resources with various fauna, including 26 types of birds, 14 types of reptiles, seven types of mammals and four types of insects.

The Biak water area is located on the edge of the Pacific Islands with a fishing area of 717, has marine resources such as yellowfin tuna, mackerel, and various coral reefs and the types of animals that inhabit them.

The type of flora that is most widely used by local people is the coconut tree whose fruit is taken to be produced into coconut oil using traditional processing.

Local residents of the Padaindo/Aimando Islands and the Numfor Islands also take advantage of the wealth of marine products. Traditional fishermen catch fish to meet their daily needs.

The Biak marine islands, which are rich in potential maritime natural resources, were designated as a Marine Tourism Park Area through the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No.91/Kpts-VI/97.

Biak’s rich maritime natural resources are an attraction for investors to manage marine and fisheries potential to improve the welfare of indigenous Papuans (OAP).

Maritime resources in Biak also act as a marine conservation area to protect the area from environmental degradation, a place for fish to live, as well as to protect coral reefs and mangroves.

  Potential of tuna fish

The Biak water area has become a source of the blue economy in the marine and fisheries sector nationally.

Data from the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries states that the economic potential of the waters of the Padaido Islands, Biak Numfor Regency – of the 10 national water conservation areas, has the highest economic value of IDR 68.9 trillion.

In the future, the potential for marine and fisheries resources in Biak Numfor Regency will become a promising source of non-tax state revenue.

Biak Regent Herry Ario Naap said fishery products, especially yellowfin tuna, reached 1.1 million tonnes/year with an estimated potential income of IDR 17 trillion/year.

The abundant maritime and fisheries economic potential not only supports non-tax state income, but also becomes a source of strength in the future in maintaining Indonesia’s maritime sovereignty in the Pacific region.

“The front porch of Indonesia’s maritime sovereignty is in Biak Numfor, so we must protect the potential of marine and fisheries resources together, so that the families of OAPs can also be prosperous,” he said.

Managing maritime natural resources in a sustainable manner can improve the welfare of residents in the villages and coastal islands of Biak Numfor Regency

The abundance of natural maritime resources in Biak Numfor is also an attraction for investors to invest in this area.

By 2023, two tuna investors will have started managing Biak’s maritime wealth. In fact, this investor exports fresh tuna every week to Japan via Frans Kaisiepo International Airport, Biak.

The Biak Fisheries Service said the total export of fresh tuna to Japan was around 150 tons.

The impact of the presence of investors in Biak Numfor also opens up new job opportunities for young Papuans.

Biak also has historical tourist attractions from World War II, for example, the Catalina Ship underwater museum, Owi Island Airport, Binsari Japanese Cave, and the World War II Monument.

Papua Province has been divided into eight district governments and one city government. This region, through its maritime wealth, has the opportunity to increase income and improve the welfare of its residents.

The main potential of Papua Province is now shifting, from mining to the marine and fisheries sector.

Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Acceleration of Papua’s Special Autonomy Development, Pastor Albert Yoku, said that fisheries and maritime potential must be managed well and sustainably in order to improve the welfare of Papuans, including Papuan People .

With the issuance of Law Number 21 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua, the vision and mission for Papua’s development for the next 20 years must be able to realize a Healthy Papua, Smart Papua, Productive Papua and Peaceful Papua.

The Productive Papua Policy is related to the potential for rich maritime natural resources in each district/city to be utilized as much as possible to improve the economy of Papuan People families.

Productive Papua, refers to Papuan People residents being able to be involved in managing marine and fisheries resources.

Head of the Papua Maritime and Fisheries Service, Iman Djuniawal, admitted that the potential for fisheries is currently a source of economic income for Papuan People who live in coastal waters in Papua.

Maritime sector management policies in the fisheries sector will be regulated by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in 2023, by building a settlement for residents of the Samber-Binyeri Modern Fisherman’s Village (Kalamo) Yendidori District, Biak Numfor Regency.

The Modern Fisherman’s Village was built equipped with various facilities for fishermen’s needs, one of which is a gas station specifically for fishermen.

Another advantage of Kalamo Biak is that its use involves the local community as the management organization.

This concept is relatively new because – in managing fisheries and marine potential – it gives full trust to Papuan People .

The Kalamo Samber-Binyeri management system fully gives trust to local residents. The involvement of local residents in managing this business makes it a new source of income for local fishing families.