MDPI and Directorate General of Product Competitiveness MOU Sign-Off

The first memorandum of understanding sign-off between Yayasan Masyarakat dan Perikanan Indonesia (MDPI) Directorate General of Product Competitiveness (Direktorat Jenderal Penguatan Daya Saing Produk Kelautan dan Perikanan) was in 12 February 2019. After three years, the cooperation was evaluated and deemed as well-managed. From the monitoring and evaluation done by the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Affairs involving the Directorate General, the key result was MDPI has fulfilled the action plan well.

On 17 May 2022, MDPI and Directorate General continued the cooperation. The sign-off meeting was attended by Director General, Secretary to the Director General, Director of Marketing, and other high-ranking officials of the Directorate General. The cooperation aims to focus on global demand on sustainable fishery products and practices. Currently, there are four main issues in the export market:

1. Increasing responsible fishery practices from the ocean (beginning of traceability) to the plate (end of traceability). Quantity increase should be accompanied by quality of production.

2. Fishers and workers’ welfare. It is important for stakeholders to provide fishers/workers’ rights in the fishery industries based on the national law. The export market and the international communities pay close attention to slavery issues, working hour, health insurance, fair wage, and underage worker issues.

3. Fishery resources sustainability. It’s important to manage fish stock to guarantee fishery resources sustainability and biodiversity for the upcoming generations. Hence the tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (tRFMO) applied output control meethod by limiting number of catch of each member country with quota and corrective action policy. The collective action policy acts as a quota regulator for each member country that exceed more than the dedicated number of caatch.

4. Product traceability technology. Currently, Indonesia’s benchmark export markets like European Union, Japan, and United States of America demand for digital-based traceability information on each product.

As a non-profit organization striving for accomplishing missions, MDPI will support the government and focus on these four main issues. MDPI and the Directorate General are expected to continue working together to pursue common goals.