Maritime Affairs and Fisheries minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono. - Photo: Antara/ (HO-KKP)
JAKARTA: Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has called on Indonesians to keep the country's seas clean and healthy as all nations around the world celebrate World Ocean Day on Saturday (June 8).
"Make the sea our front yard. Do not throw plastic and all kinds of waste into the sea. We all must ensure that our sea is clean, as it gives humans life," he affirmed.
Regarding the celebration of World Ocean Day, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has planned to conduct simultaneous beach clean-ups in 23 districts and cities across Indonesia.
The beach clean-up programme is part of the ministry's endeavours to support Indonesia's marine conservation and sustainability of fishery resources.
Despite the importance of clean and healthy oceans for human life, Trenggono pointed out that several people in the country had yet to be aware of it.
In fact, Indonesians live in a maritime country. Hence, the sea must be treated as their front yard, he said.
"As the front yard, the sea must be kept clean," he remarked while reminding that sustainable fishing should also be implemented consistently.
Regarding World Oceans Day, celebrated globally on June 8 every year, this year's action theme is "Catalysing Action for Our Ocean & Climate".
World Ocean Day's official website, which Antara accessed on Saturday, revealed that the action theme was chosen to encourage stakeholders to collaborate to create a healthy blue planet and a more just, equitable, and sustainable society.
To achieve the goals of this chosen action theme, World Ocean Day campaigners call on governments and all related stakeholders, including legislators and corporate leaders, to push several endeavours.
Making the most effective use of all existing climate solutions, expediting a just transition to clean and renewable energy, and putting a stop to the extraction of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, are among the initiatives that must be pushed.
In addition, World Ocean Day campaigners call for the gradual phase-out of single-use plastics, cooperation with local authorities tasked with taking action to bring about change in their communities, and the preservation and restoration of the natural coastal and ocean ecosystems as well as the land by designating strongly protected areas that will cover at least 30 per cent of the lands and waters by 2030. - Bernama-Antara
