REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- Sinking foreign fishing vessels trespassing and poaching in Indonesian waters aims to safeguard Indonesia's sovereignty.

"Natural marine resources should be maintained and utilized by us independently. We should be an independent and sovereign nation," Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti remarked here on Friday.

The nation must re-explore its maritime culture to achieve sovereignty in the sector that is supported by sound economic conditions and abundant resources.

"Without sovereignty, we cannot utilize our marine resources independently," she stated.

In 2014, the minister had invited ambassadors from neighboring countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia, to discuss the issue of illegal fishing in the Indonesian waters.

During the meeting, the minister explained that the government will sink foreign vessels found fishing illegally in the Indonesian waters.

The minister said the government had taken steps to combat illegal fishing, revoke the licenses of parties involved in the loading and unloading of fish or transshipment at sea, prohibit the use of destructive fishing gear, and maintain the sustainability of fishery resources by sorting and selecting fish that can be traded.

The efforts were a response to fight rampant illegal fishing and the dominance and control of the fisheries industry by foreign parties in the past, resulting in yearly losses worth trillions of rupiah.

The Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry had earlier seized four foreign fishing vessels comprising two Malaysian-flagged and two Vietnamese-flagged ships for conducting illegal fishing in the Indonesian waters.

"The ministry's vessel captured the fishing boats on July 18," Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Supervision Eko Djalmo Asmadi had stated on July 14.

The Hiu 12 Patrol Boat seized the Malaysian-flagged vessels in the waters of Malacca Strait.

The officers seized SLFA 4641 MV and arrested three crew members who were Indonesians. Meanwhile, the ministry also seized SLFA 4948 MV and detained its four Indonesian crew members.

Both vessels were seized for fishing illegally and operating trawl fishing gear in the Indonesian waters.

The officers have escorted both vessels to the Lampulo Port of Aceh Province for investigation.

Additionally, the two Vietnamese vessels were seized by the Orca 02 Patrol Boat in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Natuna Sea.

The patrol boat seized the BD 96743TS vessel and detained its 15 Vietnamese crew members and seized KNF 7825 MV and arrested its 14 Vietnamese crew members.

The officer arrested them for not having permit letters and licenses for fishing in Indonesia. The vessels were escorted to the Natuna Supervision Office for further investigation.

The ministry has captured 95 illegal fishing vessels from January to July 24, 2017, comprising 72 foreign fishing vessels and 23 Indonesian fishing vessels.

The total number of foreign ships that were captured includes 63 Vietnam-flagged vessels, five Malaysian-flagged vessels, and four Filipino vessels.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika