JAKARTA, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will modernize 4,582 fishing vessels as part of a national priority program aimed at boosting the productivity and competitiveness of its capture fisheries sector, a minister said Thursday.

Fishing ships anchor at the Muara Baru port in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 29, 2022. Indonesia is estimated to face drops in fish supplies as 2.2 million fishers cannot go fishing because of rising fuel prices, an official said Thursday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said the modernization program would cover 4,515 fishing vessels with capacities ranging from 10 gross tons (GT) to 1,500 GT, as well as 67 fish carrier vessels between 200 GT and 2,500 GT.

"We project that this program will generate significant multiplier effects for the marine and fisheries sector. In terms of production, the modernization is targeted to achieve an annual fish catch of 2.3 million tons," Trenggono said at a national coordination meeting in Jakarta.

He added that the improved operational efficiency of the vessels was expected to increase profitability and strengthen the sector's contribution to state revenue.