REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti spent much of her time in August 2015 seeking to step up cooperation with several countries in eradicating illegal fishing.

On Saturday (Aug 29) at her office in Jakarta, she signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Timor Lester Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Estanislau Aleixo da Silva.

Under the MoU, both sides agreed to increase cooperation in eradicating fish thefts and exchange information technology and fisheries experts.

While in Indonesia, Estanislau who is also Timor Leste's coordinating minister of economic affairs on Monday (Aug 24) signed a cooperation agreement with Indonesian Minister of the Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar to manage the river basin area along the borders between the two countries.

Prior to her meeting with the Timor Leste minister, from August 21 to 23 Minister Susi had paid a working visit to Russia where she met with Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

At the meeting, they discussed the issue of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, among others.

The meeting was part of the Indonesian minister's efforts to seek international support for her campaign against illegal fishing which has been categorized as a very serious crime.

At the meeting, Susi also unveiled Indonesia's plan to build 15 integrated fishery centers and to use a Russian-made sea radar.

The radar is believed to enable Indonesia to reduce the cases of fish theft using small-sized patrol ships in the Indonesian waters.

From August 18-21, Susi paid working a visit to Norway as part of efforts to enhance cooperation in the maritime affairs and fishery sector.

To follow up on the planned cooperation, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Elisabeth Aspaker will visit Indonesia in November 2015.

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