Seaweed Pushed to Drive Coastal Blue Economy in Southeast Maluku

RRI.CO.ID, Langgur - The Southeast Maluku Regency Administration in Maluku Province is committed to establishing seaweed cultivation as the primary driver of the blue economy in the archipelagic region. Beyond increasing the income of local fishermen, the management of this flagship sector is designed in a targeted manner to maintain long-term coastal environmental balance.

These efforts were discussed during an audience between Southeast Maluku Regent, Muhammad Thaher Hanubun, and the Director of Seaweed Cultivation at the Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Ministry, Nono Hartanto. The meeting focused on steps for developing seaweed cultivation, ranging from improving production quality to post-harvest management to provide added value for coastal communities.

Thaher said seaweed development should not be oriented solely toward increasing production. Cultivation quality and product management also need to be strengthened to maximize economic benefits.

"Seaweed development is considered to have potential to be further strengthened, not only from the production side, but also through improving cultivation quality and product management," said Thaher at the meeting held at the Mina Bahari IV Building, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Jakarta on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

According to him, Southeast Maluku has coastal and archipelagic areas with marine resource potential that can be developed productively.

This potential is considered a capital to strengthen seaweed as a commodity that supports the economic activities of coastal communities. Therefore, Thaher assessed that seaweed sector development requires synergy between local administration and central governments.

Coordination with the ministry is expected to strengthen guidance, increase cultivator capacity, and encourage the development of marine commodity-based businesses.

"The most important thing is how existing potential can be managed well and sustainably, with the community remaining the main actors," he said, as quoted by infopublik.id.

Thaher added that the administration continues to encourage marine resources to not remain merely potential. Instead, this potential must be processed into economic activities that provide direct benefits to the community.

Seaweed cultivation development is also directed at strengthening the business chain, from production, quality improvement, product management, to marketing. With better management, opportunities for increasing the income of cultivators and business actors in the seaweed sector are expected to expand.

Through this audience, the Southeast Maluku Regency Administration hopes that coordination with the ministry can result in more targeted development steps. Thus, programs implemented can align with community needs and the characteristics of the archipelagic region. ***