REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A deputy general chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said he supports the government's decision to sink foreign fishing vessels operating illegally in the country's waters.

"Good, It is heartening to hear the determination shown by the government," Yugi Prayanto, a deputy chairman for marine and fisheries sector, said here on Friday (5/12).

The law allows the sinking of foreign fishing vessel illegally operating in the country, Yudi said.

He pointed to chapter 69 of the Law on Fisheries No 45 of 2009 that says foreign fishing vessel operating illegally in the Indonesian waters could be destroyed.

He said implementation of the tough order is expected to serve as a deterrent, otherwise illegal fishing would continue.

If they were only detained and the ships were auctioned, they would come back after buying back their vessels through the auction process, he said.

"In the past the owners of the vessels were fined and their vessels were auctioned and they were always the ones to buy the vessels. Later they would come back using the same vessels," he said.

The fine and the sales of the vessel were insignificant compared to the losses of around Rp300 trillion a year in stolen fishes, he said.

"A concrete measure by the government is necessary to deter illegal fishing to protect out fishermen and preserve our sea wealth," he said.

Sinking the ships is the only effective measure to give a deterrent effect on illegal fishing, he added.

"Certainly the crewmen are first evacuated , the fuel and the engine are taken out before sinking the vessels," he said.

The marine and fisheries ministry said until November 2014, the Indonesian authorities detained at least 35 foreign fishing vessels found operating illegally in Indonesian waters.

Meanwhile on Friday (5/12) , the Pemerintah Napoleon and the Pemerintah Ketipas both of the Marine and Fisheries Ministry and the Negara Bintang Laut of the Sea Security Coordinating Agency sank three foreign fishing vessels found operating illegally off Tarempa, Anambas, in the province of Riau Islands.

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