The Regent of Biak Nufor Regency, Papua, has announced that approximately 100 tons of Yellow Fin tuna from Cenderawasih Bay have been prepared for their maiden export. The shipment will be sent directly from the region to Narita, Japan, in November 2023. The export of these tuna would coincide with the culmination of the Sail Cenderawasih Bay (STC) event, which will take place from November 1 to 7, 2023, in Biak Nufor Regency. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to be present to inaugurate this because it is the first direct export from Biak to a foreign country, which is now heading to Narita, Japan. Yellow Fin tuna, which inhabit the waters of Cenderawasih Bay, is highly sought after by the Japanese population due to its thick flesh and high animal protein content. In addition to tuna, other superior seafood products from Cenderawasih Bay, such as Biak shrimps and Biak crabs, are also exported to the Land of the Rising Sun.
However, due to limited port infrastructure in Biak, export activities couldn't be carried out directly to the destination country but had to go through ports in Jakarta. Because the government have developed seaports and airports, the marine products can be exported directly to Japan without going through Jakarta anymore. The presence of a port is crucial to increase the quantity of fresh tuna exports and other seafood products to Japan as the main destination. According to data from the Biak Nufor Regency Government from January to August 2022, tuna imports reached 70 tons, but during the same period this year, the export quantity increased to 140.4 tons with total profits of IDR 13.9 billion. It was also predicted that the volume of tuna exports in the region would continue to increase, reaching 600-800 tons per year, and contribute dividends to the country amounting to IDR 17.5 trillion.
