At the Meeting Hall of the Natuna Regent’s Office on Jalan Batu Sisir, Bukit Arai, Regent of Natuna, Cen Sui Lan, symbolically handed over BPJS Employment (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) cards to representatives of traditional fishermen on Thursday (September 4) afternoon.
In her opening remarks, Regent Cen Sui Lan expressed gratitude to the fishermen who attended, while conveying her hope that the program would provide tangible benefits in the form of social security protection.
She explained that the BPJS Employment program serves as a safeguard in the event of accidents or misfortunes while fishermen are carrying out their work at sea.
“Although no one wishes for such incidents to occur, in the event of an accident, benefits will be provided to the beneficiaries—particularly to ensure that the children of affected fishermen can continue receiving proper educational opportunities,” she stated.
Furthermore, Regent Cen Sui Lan highlighted that various programs are being prepared to support the welfare of fishermen, including the planned construction of a fishermen’s village by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Cemaga Utara Village, Bunguran Selatan District.
In addition to the fishermen’s village, assistance will also include operational fishing vessels and supporting facilities, such as ice plants and other infrastructure.
The Regent also shared that, starting next year, President Prabowo’s program will provide fishermen with 30 GT capacity vessels, noting that most current fishing vessels in Natuna are under 30 GT, which limits catch volumes.
Through these government initiatives, fishermen are expected to gradually adopt more modern working methods. Alongside these efforts, a series of training programs will also be introduced to enhance fishing capacity and productivity.
“These programs are indeed encouraging news and should be fully utilized by our fishermen, especially as part of our collective efforts to improve the welfare of coastal communities,” Cen Sui Lan emphasized.
The event was attended by the Regent of Natuna, the Head of the Fisheries Office, representatives of BPJS Natuna Regency, and recipients of the BPJS Employment cards. (Pro-Kopim/D&S)
RILIS PERS, Number : 0535/PRO_KOPIM/2025
