REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) will immediately send two vessels to monitor East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) waters for various crimes such as illegal fishing.
"The two vessels of the KKP --- KM Orka and KM Hiu --- will offer assistance to secure our maritime territory," Head of Capture Fishery and Scrutiny of NTT Province's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office (DKP) Ganef informed Antara here on Tuesday.
Ganef stated that the ships will help to maintain maritime security in NTT's waters, especially with regard to curbing illegal fishing by foreign fishermen.
He revealed that the 67-meter-long KM Orka will set sail to Indonesia's fishery management area 573, including NTT's maritime territory, as the province is currently the target of illegal fishing.
Indonesia's fishery management area 573 encompasses the waters of the Indian Ocean on the south of Java Island to the south of Nusa Tenggara Islands, Savu Sea, and the western part of Timor Sea.
The KKP will hand over the 42-meter-long KM Hiu to NTT Province's DKP to safeguard its maritime territory.
"The KKP and NTT Province's DKP will each supply equal quantities of fuel oil needed to operate the vessels. However, the central government will manage all fuel oil supplies for the vessels in 2016," he explained.
The two vessels will help the Indonesian National Armed Forces' Navy warships to monitor NTT's maritime territory.
Chairman of the Indonesia's Fishermen Association for Kupang City Maxi Ndun expressed gratitude to the central government for meeting the request of some fishermen in the province to combat illegal fishing in the maritime territory.
To this end, NTT's fishermen are hoping that the province's DKP will work in tandem with the fishermen from Kupang city and its surrounding areas to combat unsustainable fishing.
"This is important as it has affected the income of our fishermen. We hope one of the vessels will be ours, so that later it can be used for maritime operations with the fishermen," he added.
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