Indonesia's new president, Prabowo Subianto, has reappointed Sakti Wahyu Trenggono as fisheries minister, tasking him with reviving the nation's aquaculture industry, Mongabay reported.

Prabowo, who won the presidential elections in March, was sworn in on Oct. 20, 2024.

A primary focus is the reactivation of 78,000 hectares of dormant shrimp ponds along Java's northern coast, where many local fishing economies have struggled due to depleted fish stocks and coastal development pressures.

Trenggono is optimistic about a recent pilot in West Java that used hybrid aquaculture technology. This pilot has shown promising results and could scale up nationwide. His agenda aligns with the Prabowo administration's "Asta Cita" policy, which emphasizes sustainable, productive aquaculture and community engagement.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic nation, aims to leverage technology to boost shrimp exports to markets like the US and China. However, environmental concerns linger, as aquaculture growth has historically driven significant mangrove loss. 

In response, Indonesia is pushing for more sustainable practices, including better management of fishing zones and improving the efficiency of the local shrimp industry, to compete with neighbors like Vietnam.