Jakarta, May 6 -- Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has underscored the government's commitment to strengthening the marine and fisheries sectors as one of the main pillars of national development.

He conveyed this while meeting fisher groups at the Bebeng Fisheries Economic Zone, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Vice President's Secretariat.

During the meeting, he handed over assistance, including storage boxes and 100 units of fishing equipment, and expressed the hope that the assistance would boost the productivity and competitiveness of the fishers.

At the meeting, he spoke with a number of fishers and listened to their concerns, including the limitations in the availability of cold ...