JAKARTA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia plans to expand its marine conservation areas in the coming years to maintain ecological balance and support a sustainable economy, the country's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries announced.

During a forum on Wednesday, the ministry's deputy minister, Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, said Indonesia currently has around 9.9 million hectares of marine conservation areas and that the government aims to expand it to around 30 million hectares.

Ashaf explained that the expansion would be carried out in stages in collaboration with related ministries and institutions. He also encouraged public participation in rehabilitation and ecosystem preservation efforts.

The planned expansion, he said, will bring significant benefits not only to Indonesia but also to the world.

"We hope to increase oxygen production for the global population. In fact, Indonesia plays a major role. Compared to forests, our seas produce two-thirds of the world's carbon capture. This is what we need to implement," he said. Enditem

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