Indonesia and Norway strengthen collaboration on marine spatial planning to balance the management of economic benefits and efforts to restructure sea space in the national waters.

"Norway has a number of excellent programs for sustainable marine spatial planning, such as Fish for Development, Marine Spatial Management Plans and Ocean Waste Management," Norway Foreign Ministry representative Jens Frolich Holte said in a press release from the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on Sunday.

Norway, he said, has a great interest in reducing marine waste.

"We believe that plastic waste can adversely affect the quality of seafood that will be consumed," Holte said.

One of Norway`s commitments to reduce marine waste is through a trust fund used to help countries reduce sea waste.

This trust fund is provided through various determinations, one of them through the World Bank, and is channeled to countries requiring assistance for waste management at sea, including Indonesia.

Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti welcomed the Norwegian assistance.

"We greatly appreciate Norway`s assistance in Indonesia`s efforts to reduce marine waste," she said.

The minister said the reduction of marine waste is one of Indonesia`s main policies related to maritime governance, in addition to the eradication of illegal fishing which has been the priority of the ministry to improve fishery governance in Indonesia.

Pudjiastuti also stressed that the use of trust fund is allocated to help communities on small islands that feel the direct impact of marine waste.

Furthermore, Minister Pudjiastuti invited Norwegian Foreign Minister to participate in the implementation of Our Ocean Conference (OOC) 2018 which is scheduled to take place on 29-30 October 2018, at Nusa Dua Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia. (ANTARA)